And From This Slumber You Shall Wake
by Wolf On The Rocks
Summary: This is a Jiminy/Archie x OC story. When Jiminy meets a girl in the forest, they fall in love only to be torn apart by his parents and so Aurora makes a deal with Rumple to fall asleep and only wake when she is safe in Jiminy's arms again.
1. 1: FW: I wonder, I wonder,

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

'Now don't go too far Jiminy' His mother said as he wandered off.

'Remember we need you for today's show and steal.' His father replied. Jiminy sighed and adjusted his glasses, _he was a grown man._ He thought as he headed off for a walk to clear his head. He liked the sound of the forest, nothing compared with the sound of the crickets in the summer beneath the starry night sky but the sound of the forest was wonderful, it was quiet and yet it wasn't. Leaves crunched beneath his feet which he found simply carried him, no direction from his brain needed.

* * *

'Now be careful young one, remember what we've told you.' Rainy said.

'I know, don't speak to any strangers, not that we get any around here and be back by sunset.' Aurora replied.

'The forest is a dangerous place at night.' Aurora mimicked her aunt as she said the same words she had since she was old enough to go out on her own. Ever since she was young, they'd always told her the same thing about the forest, they'd always told her not to talk to strangers and not to go passed the forest outskirts. She knew they were just being protective, over protective. Her existence felt a little lonely though. Aside from the animals within the woods she didn't have anyone. She'd never seen her mother and father and the only other people she had contact with had been the village children when they wandered too far into the woods and even then she was too shy to say hello. Now she was older, a young woman and her Aunts worried about her even more, they forbid her from talking to any strange men and women who came into the woods.

She left the small cottage with its many coloured smokes billowing from the chimney, (she suspected her Aunts were witches but never said as such) and headed into the forest. Aurora still couldn't fully understand why they constantly warned her and never allowed her the freedom she felt she deserved. She loved them of course she did. They had raised her after all but Aurora never felt at home.

She wandered through the forest and was quickly joined by the small fox who had taken to following her around. She bent down and tickled behind his ear. She had tucked a book under her arm but didn't know whether she would read it. Maybe instead she'd just imagine, she'd imagine she was a princess like in her stories and that there was a prince waiting somewhere for her, ready to battle a dragon. Aurora began to hum to herself and she danced and twirled and imagined a ball. Like those she had heard about, dancing with someone. Anyone, even if they weren't her prince. She'd just like to dance and wear a pretty ball gown once. Once she'd just like someone to notice her.

Aurora hadn't noticed the figure dancing on the edge of the tree's watching her though.

* * *

Jiminy heard a soft humming, almost singing but not words, it was soft and melodic and pleasing to the ears. Almost unconsciously he moved towards the sound. He moved closer and could hear the crunching of leaves underfoot.

'And then the men offer their hands to the women. Like so and the women take their hands.' The young woman said. Jiminy wondered who it was she was talking to and climbed a tree quietly, moving silently up its branches, to get a better view. It was relatively easy considering the fact he'd had to scrabble around all his life to help his parents steal whatever they could.

A young woman was dancing around the forest floor. A fox sat watching her almost obediently. Her long light brown hair was whipped round as she twisted and turned. Her feet gliding across the forest floor and not seeming to trip her up, Jiminy moved around the trees following her. He smiled, he was trying to pluck up the courage to say hello, but words seemed to fail him. He watched her a little longer before she sat down beside a tree and the fox trotted over to lie next to her.

'And then they all live happily ever after.' He watched her bring her knees up to her chest, scratch the small fox behind the ear and look up to the sky as she said it; as though waiting for a miracle to happen.

Jiminy thought about stepping out then, introducing himself to her. He couldn't though he was too frightened, why would a girl like her want to talk to a shy thing like him. His mother always said he was too quiet, too odd, a coward. No girl would want to marry him so it was best he stayed where he was, with his mother and father.

Jiminy moved a little and put a hand on the wrong branch it snapped loudly, the crack echoing into the forest like a gunshot.

Aurora jumped up her head whipping around from side to side trying to locate the noise, chest rising and falling with panic. 'Hello?' she asked into the silence. There was no reply. Jiminy moved back against the tree so she didn't see him.

'Hello?' She asked again. There was no reply again and Aurora felt uneasy. 'Go. Go!' she said to the small fox, who looked around the forest as she did. Aurora had an odd prickling sensation along the back of her neck. She had never been taught how to fight, she panicked. The branch from the tree fell to the forest floor with a crash and Aurora didn't wait around to find out what it was.

* * *

Jiminy waited a moment before he clambered down. He wiped his brow and pushed his glasses up his nose looking out in the direction Aurora hand run off too. He felt downcast, he had scared her away, his mother was right. He was never going to be a prince charming, or a hero. He was destined to be a thief and a liar all his life. Then he noticed it the book on the floor, it was hand written with a fabric cover, drawings of dragons and fairies littered the inside. Jiminy held it in his hands for a moment and vowed to return it tomorrow.

'Where have you been?' His mother scolded when he returned looking a little downcast. He hid the book behind his back out of sight of his parents wandering hands.

'Why so glum when there's,' his father pulled a coin from behind his ear and made it disappear. 'magic in the air.' He smiled at his son.

'You better put a smile on your face if we're going to earn anything tonight.' She pinched his cheek and smiled. Jiminy sighed and put a fake smile onto his face.

* * *

_**A/N: So what do we think then? **_


	2. 2: RW: Deep Into The Darkness

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

Archie Hopper walked Pongo through the town every day once in the morning, once in the evening and then in between patient's if he could manage it. He loved Pongo as much as one could love a dog, he was loyal and Archie, despite being a psychiatrist and knowing that he should be a little more sceptical on these matters thoroughly believed that Pongo knew when he (Archie) was happy, when he was sad, when he was angry or amused. A small part of Archie believed that Pongo understood a lot more than just fetch and sit.

Archie was trying to do up his coat buttons when Pongo tugged a little on his lead.

'Pongo!' Archie chastised him as his finger caught the button and it came lose in his hand, he dropped it accidentally. He sighed, he'd have to leave it open.

'You might need this.' A voice said.

'Henry!' Archie beamed at him. 'And why, aren't we at school yet mister.' Archie tutted at him.

'Hey I still have twenty minutes yet.' Henry replied giving Pongo a loving scratch.

'So you do! But you better run along, you don't want to be late.' Archie urged him. Henry passed him the button and then set off at a half run to school. Archie looked at the button in his hand for a minute, it needed fixing, this was his favourite coat. He knew exactly where to take it. The Red, Blue and Green Costume Shop would probably be open, and would probably be happy for the business. Although it did meant facing Rose, Sunny and Faline, the three old women who owned the shop and were somewhat known for their eccentric nature. Archie sighed and looked at Pongo for a moment.

'This is all your fault you know!' He said to him. Before setting off towards the shop he grimaced as he opened the door to the costume shop. It smelt of old clothes, musty and there was something else there, was it glue? Probably from the back, the three sisters made and sold costumes and clothing. They ran a small clothing repair line from the back of the shop too and it was the place most people in Storybrooke went for repairs.

'Dr Hopper!' Rose cried running over to him as he came into the shop.

'How are you?' Sunny said.

'What can we do you for?' Faline, added.

'Oh you haven't left Pongo outside have you!' Sunny said as she linked his free arm and they steered him towards the counter. Archie wriggled free from them and shrugged off his coat.

'I was wondering if you could fix this for me?' He asked pushing the glasses up his face a little and hunting in his pocket for the lost button. 'In fact all the buttons could do with a little touch up.'

'Certainly.'

'Why not?'

'Be done by the end of the day.' The three women beamed at him and Archie began to feel a little uncomfortable.

'Yes, well, I'll come back later then.' He said to them.

'Don't forget your ticket!' Rose cried she passed it him holding onto his hand a little too long. When he was free he turned to leave and looked out of the window to see a young lady showering Pongo with affection. She had light brown hair which was pulled loosely back into a pony. She jumped a little when she heard the door open and looked up at him.

'Sorry.' She mumbled stepping back from Pongo, now he could see her face she didn't look so happy, there was something about her that seemed inherently sad. The sparkle in her eyes when she had first looked up faded within a few moments. It didn't surprise Archie he often had this effect on women.

'Not at all, I'm sure Pongo enjoyed the attention.' He smiled at her but she avoided his eyes.

'Rory dear come on these clothes won't stitch themselves.' Sunny said putting an arm around the girls shoulder and directing her inside. 'Sorry about her, she's a little, y'know.' Sunny said to Archie. Archie watched for a moment as the girl sat in the corner away from her Aunts who were chatting animatedly. She sighed deeply and gazed out of the window for a moment before returning to her work. Archie frowned a little. Before deciding it was time to go and return Pongo home before heading for his first appointment.

* * *

Rory managed to slip out unnoticed, she always did. She doubted if she disappeared altogether anyone would notice. She knew they'd been talking about her again as she left. Why couldn't they just let her go?

She'd gotten all the way to the edge of town one time and realised she had no money and nowhere to go and simply turned around and gone home. Tonight was one of those nights where the emptiness just seem to envelope her as she felt something she couldn't quite put her finger on and she searched inside herself for answers that weren't there or simply refused to come.

She sat on that bench like she always did just watching the stars. She sat watching them for hours digging around inside her own head looking for the source of her pain; where this feeling of despair came from. She had no need to feel it, she had not lost something. She lived a comfortable life with her Aunts and she had a comfortable job with them. She couldn't complain really, she shouldn't. Yet she couldn't get happy. It didn't help that she rarely ever slept, which was why she was out here so late at night. On her own on the bench, she could sit here all night if she wanted and no one would bother her.

Sleep seemed to evade her constantly. She barely ever slept more than three solid hours a night and most nights she barely got that. It was no wonder she felt despair when she hadn't slept properly in forever. She'd tried lotions and potions of all different varieties. She'd tried exercise and relaxation techniques. Nothing worked though.

The only thing that seemed to lift her spirits were the animals and they were few and far between within the town. She couldn't explain why but they gave her a feeling of home that filled a void within her. Rory had dissected her mind on this bench countless times, yet it always came back to this. She had this feeling inside her that she needed to get home, but she was home wasn't she?

Among some of her wilder theories Rory had wondered if her Aunts had lied to her about everything, perhaps they weren't even her Aunts. It wasn't like there was any family resemblance.

Rory liked this time of night because no one was around and she didn't have to answer awkward questions. Generally she stayed away from the townsfolk, especially Granny's, apart from very early morning, when there was no one in there. She just didn't want to bring anyone down, because being around people made her feel lonelier then she already felt so she preferred to fade into the background.

Rory put her head in her hands, she couldn't even cry, people who were sad should cry. She had nothing to be sad about though. _Pull yourself together._ She said. She looked up at the stars and took comfort that there was a whole universe of other beings out there and she couldn't be the only one feeling like this and that it had to get better at some point, didn't it?

She let out a small laugh and smiled remembering how happy Pongo had been when she had been paying him attention. About the only thing that would be glad of her attention. Still it was something that made a little ball of warmth appear in her chest and it was some small dose of happiness she could cling onto and she would cling onto it.

She stood up and headed back to the house, her Aunts would be snoring away when she got in, just as they always were. Every time she took a step and began to feel sad she thought of Pongo wagging his tail and smiled a little inside. A dog wasn't going to cure her but this feeling was a lot nicer then the dull ache or numb emptiness which usually sat in her chest.

* * *

_**A/N: So what do we think then? **_


	3. 3: FW: I Know There's Someone, Somewhere

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

'Come on Jiminy.' His mother hissed nudging him hard in the back to step forward into the crowd and distract various wealthy members as his mother or father stole their money or various belongings of worth. He sighed before he moved out into the crowd.

'May I say what a wonderful neckerchief that is sir!' He smiled at a distinguished looking gentlemen, the man looked him up and down and then sniffed.

'For what is life, without a little magic.' His father chimed, from the front of the crowd, they made appreciative noises and Jiminy tried to get the man's attention again but he ignored him.

'Well hello there.' His mother stepped in front of him. 'I'm sorry is my son bothering you?' she asked and she scratched at her chest with her nails drawing his attention to her bosom.

'Not at all ma'am' The stranger replied and bowed to Jiminy's mother who scowled at him and linked the gentlemen's arm. Jiminy shuddered a little wondering what exactly she would do to steal whatever wealth he had. Jiminy shook his head and wandered a little away from the crowd towards the trailer. He pulled out a small bag he'd hidden which contained the book he'd found. He looked to his parents for a moment and decided he wasn't going to be missed. Jiminy hopped down from the trailer and sat on the grassy earth leaning his head against the hard wood. He adjusted his glasses and ran his hands over the brown fabric of the book cover. His fingers traced the indent of the letters.

Jiminy opened it carefully like it was a treasure to be held dear. He didn't read just yet, his eyes swept over the pages which were light and ancient, the book was well read and beautiful watercolour pictures littered its insides. Pictures of dancing women and princes slaying dragons, the very stories he had heard around campfires countless times as a child. He smiled, when he reached the story that had clearly been most read. It wasn't, he found, the tale of a beautiful princess and handsome prince but instead the humble tale of a knight who left behind his town to fight in a war. On returning the knight found his town overtaken by an evil lord. The knight had to then defeat the evil lord in order to save his town and his childhood sweetheart.

Jiminy smiled. This wasn't his book though. He closed it and let his fingers run along the letters again. He'd take it back, it wasn't his and he wasn't going to steal it. For once he was going to return something to its rightful owner. Jiminy held it in his hands for a moment and listened to the sound of the crickets in the field playing a happy melody.

* * *

Aurora didn't want to go back to the same spot again, it felt odd and uneasy. This was her forest though and surely it had been nothing, no one came this far into the forest anyway, usually.

She realised her book was missing that night. When she had gone to reach for it and realised it wasn't there, she felt a little downcast. Of the few things she had the book was her favourite. It fed her imagination. It, like the forest had a magic about it that had nothing to do with spells or deals.

* * *

Jiminy heard her, before he saw her. She was talking to the same fox he'd seen her with yesterday, or at least he assumed it was the same fox.

'Oh Perdy, it must be around here somewhere.' She sighed kicking leaves out of the way and looking under logs for the book. Jiminy had it in his hands, he clutched it to his chest and hid behind the tree, he suddenly felt very nervous.

'It must be Perdy! Who would want an old book such as that?' She asked the fox who simply stared at her for a moment before starting to sniff around. She sighed loudly and dropped down in between the roots of the large tree. She played with her fingers for a moment before she spoke.

'Well I guess if we can't read them, we'll have to try and remember. Or make up our own?' She looked at the fox and pushed herself to standing again. Jiminy watched her noticing her feet were bare on the forest floor. He watched as her light brown hair fell around her bare shoulders and he wondered whether her hair would feel soft between his fingers, which lazily brushed the edges of the book still in his hands.

'Maybe someday I could have my own story someday. There must be someone out there for me, even that old lot have each other, but then I guess I do have you.' She smiled and leant down to stroke the fox.

_Now, step out now! _Jiminy's brain was saying to him, screaming at him. He looked around the side of the tree again peering at Aurora who was walking around in a dreamy haze watching the skies as she did. His courage failed him. A girl, any girl wouldn't want to talk to him and he didn't want to scare her away again.

'I know there's someone, somewhere, Perdy.' Aurora began again. 'Someone, who's sure to find me soon! You see after the rain goes there are rainbows and I'll find my rainbow soon enough.' She leant down and scratched the foxes head again unaware of the man watching her.

'Soon it won't be just pretend Perdy, soon a happy ending. You'll come with me of course.' She gestured to the fox.

'Love, can you hear me, if you're near me. Sing your song, sure and strong and soon.' She almost sung these last lines, her voice soft and melodic, charming.

Jiminy's heart seemed to sink a little, _love can you hear me._ She had sung that, did she already have a love? Not that it mattered anyway. A pretty girl in the woods could never love a man like him; a man who wanted to do the right thing but was too cowardly. Who couldn't escape his parents. Jiminy wasn't a knight like in the stories. Jiminy was Jiminy, tied to his parents for as long as they lived. He sighed, he should simply hand her the book back and leave. She was still humming having resumed looking for it and Jiminy felt his heart a flutter at the soft noise.

He stepped out from behind the tree but she didn't notice him at first and he was struggling to find something to say, he couldn't just stand there and thrust the book at her. When working for his parents words came easy, they didn't fail him so why did they now?

'You have a very lovely wonderful.' He said suddenly. 'I mean you have a wonderful lovely, I mean a lovely voice.' He stumbled over his word and sighed shaking his head.

Aurora looked up startled, eyes a little wide with fear and shock that someone else had found her. She remained silent and Perdy the fox hid behind her long skirt.

'It's lovely.' He mumbled.

'I'm not supposed to talk to strangers.' She said watching him caution and intrigue flitted across her face.

'Is this what you're looking for?' He asked her, he held the book out and she looked at him still a little wide eyed. 'I found it, yesterday.' He added, leaving out the fact he had been watching her.

'And you brought it back.' Her voice was barely a whisper and she held out a shaky hand to take the book from him. She held it to her like it was precious cargo.

'Jiminy.' He said holding out a hand for her to shake and smiling, he adjusted his glasses again a little nervously.

'Thank you, but I'm not supposed to talk to strangers.' She nodded and backed off a little.

'Unfortunately that's my job, somewhat, not something I want to do. I'd like to be…'

'I'm sorry, I have to go.' Aurora cut him off.

'Oh.' Jiminy replied a little downcast.

'I have to go. I'm not allowed to talk to strangers.' Aurora repeated. She turned and ran head first into the forest calling a thank you behind her. When she'd run far enough she leant against a tree breathing deeply and feeling confused.

Jiminy, that had been his name. Jiminy he had been nice, kind enough to bring her book back, to make the effort too. Everything about him had been lovely and she sighed against the tree pulling the book closer to her like it was some life support. A part of her, the part that had her heart beating faster then she had ever felt it beat before, wanted her to go back. What her aunts didn't know couldn't hurt them. She could have stayed and spoken to him. Maybe he would have had some great stories to tell her. Aurora couldn't go back now could she? He'd have gone anyway.

'Come on Perdy.' She sighed and looked down at the fox, who simply trotted off into the forest ahead of her.

* * *

'I didn't even get your name.' He said to himself.

Jiminy stood there for a moment, not knowing exactly what to say. She couldn't talk to strangers? That was odd, somewhat understandable though if enforced by her parents. She was beautiful, smaller than him with dark bluish eyes that seemed to have a sparkle to them. He watched the space where she had been stood for a moment. She hadn't shown him distaste had she? The look on her face was not like the look on his mother's face when he mentioned wanting to change. He wondered for a moment had she not been forbidden from speaking to strangers would she have stayed and talked with him a while?

No, probably not. Women like that didn't want to stay and talk to Jiminy because Jiminy wasn't worthy of their company. He wished he was, he wanted to make himself so but feared he never would. Yet he told himself that he would return to the forest again tomorrow in the hope of seeing her.

* * *

_**A/N: When Aurora is talking to Perdy and she starts on about 'Soon a happy ending.' these are lyrics from a song from the Thumbelina movie which I just changed a little. So I didn't actually create that. It does have significance though but for later on. So what do we think of the story so far? **_


	4. 4: RW: It's Always Darkest Before Dawn

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

Archie woke up half asleep but in need of something to drink, his mouth was dryer than a desert and it was something that couldn't be ignored. He looked at the clock on his nightstand and groaned groping for his glasses, it was almost 5am. He got up and went to fetch himself a glass of water and on his return from the bathroom he found Pongo wasn't on the end of his bed. He looked around and noticed he wasn't in the bed which sat on the floor either. This was odd Pongo almost always slept in his room, unless there was something genuinely wrong. Archie headed downstairs wondering if the dog had slipped down to sleep on the couch.

'Pongo.' He said softly into the darkness. He flicked the lights on and called the dog again, he was nowhere to be found though. He hunted around in his spotted companions usual hiding places but he was missing. He knew he'd locked the doors properly front and back so he couldn't have gotten out that way. Archie felt a little worried, why would Pongo leave anyway? He'd hardly ever raised his voice to the dog since he was a puppy.

Archie felt a draft and turned around to find the dining room's curtains blowing a little. He pushed them aside to find the window open, Pongo could have easily slipped out of the window had it been open just a little. He groaned loudly bringing his hand to his forehead, now he was going to have to get dressed and go out looking for him. Panic began to flicker into his thoughts. There weren't many people out and about at this time but what if Pongo got onto the road? What if tonight was the night a lorry decided to pass through town? What if he got himself lost in the woods? Archie breathed deeply to calm himself and went to dress quickly.

* * *

Rory had snuck out as she often did, her Aunts snoring loudly from their three rooms. They didn't like her out alone at night, she understood why after what had happened last time. It was her own fault they kept such a close eye on her. She didn't do much without them knowing. Then again Rory didn't do much anyway. She'd tried to sleep again and as usual it evaded her. Instead of trying to read though she went for a walk as she often did, creeping out as quietly as she could and letting her feet take her where they pleased as her thoughts were busy elsewhere.

She was more than a little surprised when a wet nose pressed at her hands which were resting on her knees. She looked up to find the Dalmatian from earlier.

'Couldn't sleep either huh?' She asked him feeling the dense fog that sat in her chest lift a little. She felt at ease, like she could talk. 'You should go on home.' She said to him giving his head a friendly pat. She looked away from the dog and he put his head in her lap, large brown eyes watching her. It was almost like he could sense there was something wrong with her.

'Won't someone be worried about you boy?' She asked him. The dog whined at her and adjusted his placing, she stroked his head and scratch behind his ears and he stopped. She wanted to take him back to his owner but she had no idea where he lived. She knew where Doctor Hopper's office was, of course she did but where he lived, no. It was too early for him to be up or at the office. She sat there for a moment longer she didn't want to leave this spot. She wasn't warm but for the first time in a while she felt comfortable and though she knew she should be leaving to at least attempt to find Pongo's home, she didn't want to move.

'You reckon there's something more than us out there Pongo?' she asked the dog who sat next to her, still and quiet. He let out a bark suddenly in the night which startled her. 'Shh.' She said a little desperately. 'Don't wake everyone up!'

'Pongo!' Archie cried. 'Pongo, here boy!' Pongo barked loudly but didn't move from where he sat next to Rory.

'There you are boy!' Archie cried and Rory jumped up in an effort to show she wasn't holding Pongo hostage or anything of the sort. 'What are you playing at running off like that?' Archie cried sitting on the bench and ruffling Pongo's ears and face lovingly. He let relief wash over him before he looked up at Rory who stood watching them a little awkwardly.

'Oh, hello, I didn't think anyone would be out this late at night.' He said as he spotted Rory.

'I, I, I erm, I was going to bring him by the office, I just I didn't think anyone would be there and I don't know where you live.' She said nervously wringing her hands out. Pongo's face left Archie's grasp and he trotted over to Rory sniffing at her hands and giving them a friendly lick, his tail wagging. She pulled her hands away still wringing them out and looked away from him as he adjusted his glasses.

'It seems he's taken quite the shine to you.' Archie laughed. 'Thank you for keeping him company.' Archie clicked his tongue at Pongo and he returned to his owner's side.

'I, I, well I have to go.' She said backing away from him seeming a little frightened. 'Please don't tell my aunts you saw me out here, too many questions. Please.' She pleaded a little and began to scurry off. Pongo barked at Archie who frowned at the dog, he stood up and ran after her a little.

'Are you ok?' He asked catching up with her quickly Pongo on his heels.

'Yes, yes I'm fine.' Rory said, it was a response she'd practiced all too much and it had been a lie, it had always been a lie because she had been walking around with this thick fog sat over her chest for as long as she could remember. Yet now stood here presented with Doctor Hopper and his faithful dog, she felt it lift. She felt it clear a little. Like when the sun comes through the clouds on a dark day. They were only little rays but it was an odd sensation.

Archie watched her curiously, her expression was doing odd things, flitting from the despair and panic she had worn to curiosity, recognition and then she let out a sigh and a small smile before she looked up at him and Pongo again.

'Yes, yes I am.' She said again. 'Thank you.' She added. She looked at him curiously again. A smile creeping at the corners of her mouth but it never quite fully formed. 'Please don't tell my aunts you saw me.' She said panic seeming to set back in.

'I won't.' Archie said as she scuttled off up the street. Pongo wagged his tail happily and trotted off ahead of Archie in the opposite direction back towards the house. Archie watched him for a moment and shook his head. His thoughts wandered to just what his dog had been playing at but then he shook his head feeling ridiculous. Coincidence was a funny thing.

* * *

When Archie was home and lay in bed with Pongo at the end and all possible means of escape sealed up, he found sleep evaded him at first. He lay flat on his back staring at the ceiling, his thoughts kept returning to Rory. He knew she wasn't the most sociable creature in the village, in fact had it not been for her aunts he doubted half the village would even know she existed. A part of him was curious as a psychiatrist it was his job to be curious. He wondered if she'd benefit from counselling, but a part of him said she would benefit more from a friend.

The longer Archie thought about her, the more curious he became and the more he thought about her life within the town so far, or what he knew of it. In his half-awake state he found his brain flitted curiously over things such as how she would react to being given a bunch of flowers. Or whether enabling her to become a little more at one with the town would benefit her. He thought about her nervous smile, that had been cute, it had lifted her whole demeanour a little. Archie shook his head, he was tired and his brain was doing funny things to him.

* * *

Rory snuck in through the back door which she closed as quietly as she could. She made herself a cocoa like she always did before returning to bed to pretend to have slept. As she stood staring at the mug before her stirring its contents her mind wandered back to Doctor Hopper and Pongo and she felt her chest become a little lighter. It took her a moment to realise she was smiling, not grinning, but a small smile. She shook her head not sure what to make of these new feelings which seemed a little alien after feeling terrible for so long.

She stood stirring the cocoa for a moment and thought about how Pongo had sat with her. It was nice to have something happy to see her, something that she didn't feel like she was a burden to. She found that with the small, bright lights dancing inside her chest came the notion that the world seemed just a tiny bit brighter. Rory yawned loudly and again and when she climbed into bed, her head hit the pillow and she fell asleep. That night she had two whole hours of deep uninterrupted sleep.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far they are veyr much appreciated.  
**_


	5. 5: FW: Wanderin' Free Wish I Could Be

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

Jiminy didn't want to go back to the campsite, he didn't want to have to answer questions about where he'd been. He didn't want to blush in front of his mother and her to start asking questions or making assumptions like she had done when he'd met the serving girl from the castle.

He wandered around the forest for a while, thinking about the girl. He could try to find her if he wanted. _No!_ a voice inside of him said. He was simply letting his feet carry him forward when he stopped as he heard the rustling noise just ahead of him; a small family of rabbits, enjoying their lunch by the looks of things. Jiminy took a step forward and they scurried off a little. He stood for a moment watching them, something else he was going to frighten away. He was so tired of doing the wrong thing when all he wanted to do was the right thing.

'You have to crouch down.' A small voice said from behind him. 'If you want to pet them, you're a bit intimidating if you're stood up. I mean not you, you're not intimidating you're lovely, but tall, scares them.' Aurora said stepping out from behind a tree. She blushed furiously wishing she hadn't said he was lovely.

Now it was Jiminy's turn to stare, he watched her as she stepped forward.

'Watch.' She smiled at him and he felt his heart flutter a little. She walked a little away from him looking for something on the forest floor and then came back. She knelt down into the blanket of dead leaves that littered the forest floor and he watched as she held out her hands which contained green leaves and a few flowers. He watched as she wiggled a little closer to the animals, this time they didn't shrink away but one small brave rabbit hopped towards her. It sniffed a little at her hands and when she lowered them the rabbit put its paws on her hands and reached for the grass. After a moment she reached out a hand and the small rabbit let her stroke it.

Jiminy looked around surely this would have been perfect hunting ground for a fox, then he spotted her, she was sat by the tree Aurora had come out from behind, obediently waiting for her friend to return.

'Gently.' Aurora said gesturing for him to kneel beside her in the earth. Jiminy did and she handed him some of the grass from in her skirt for him to feed them with. One of the larger rabbits bounded over to him and began like his counterpart eating from his hands. Jiminy smiled at Aurora. He hadn't smiled like that in a while and a part of him suddenly felt freedom flutter across his heart.

'See, they just need to know you're not going to hurt them.' She said and added more grass to his hands. She stood up and shook out her skirt. Removing the bits of stray grass from it, she walked a little away and beckoned Perdy forward.

'I, I thought you weren't allowed to talk to strangers.' Jiminy stood up and startled all the remaining rabbits, he looked a little downcast but when he turned around Aurora was smiling at him.

'Well,' she said crossing her hands behind her back a little nervously. 'Technically you're not a stranger, you brought my book back,' she swallowed hard and swayed on the spot. 'And I've seen you more than once and I know your name.' She smiled and swayed again not meeting his eyes.

Aurora couldn't believe what she was doing. Her Aunts had forbidden her from talking to strangers and yet nothing had happened when she had spoken to one. Aurora had never disobeyed them before not really and yet now, now she was doing exactly what they asked her not to. Jiminy seemed nice though, Jiminy seemed more than nice. She liked the way he shifted his glasses on his face and the way his mouth made a small o when she said he was no longer a stranger.

'Well, well I suppose not.' Jiminy said. 'Jiminy.' He said holding out a hand for her to shake.

'Aurora.' She smiled and took his hand. The shake lasted a little too long and they both looked away from each other sheepishly

'I, I erm, I liked the one about the knight.' Jiminy said wringing his hands out nervously. 'Your book.' He added to Aurora's confused expression. 'I hope you don't mind, I took a look.'

'Why would I mind? You did bring it back to me after all.' She replied her back to him as she wandered away from him a little. He followed her.

'Where do you...'

'How come you're not allowed…' After a moments silence they both spoke at the same time. Both blushed and looked away again.

'Ladies first.' Jiminy said and she turned to face him before she spoke as though searching his face for something.

'What are you doing this far out in the forest, I mean, nobody ever comes out here.' She asked moving on the spot again and not meeting his eyes. It wasn't confidence she felt but a little excitement, no one had actually stayed long enough to talk to her before. She'd seen people when she was a child and encountered a few brutish soldiers now and again, whose intentions were a little less than noble, which had meant she'd had to fight or run. But no one as sweet as this had made it this far, not someone who would return her book anyway. A smile crossed her face again when she thought about that. No she wasn't confident at all. She was sure that soon he was going to get bored of her. Aurora knew nothing of the world outside the forest, nothing aside from her stories and bits and pieces about the forest.

'I, well, my parents, I mean. I just wanted a little, a little freedom.' Jiminy said adjusting his glasses, he ran his hands through his hair.

'Now that I can understand.' Aurora slumped down into a tree stump again.

'You? You have the whole forest!' Jiminy said.

'Doesn't mean I'm free.' Aurora said she brought her knees up to her chest and watched as Jiminy sat down against a tree close by.

'Why not?' Jiminy asked her.

'It doesn't matter.' Aurora stood up and walked away from him. 'I shouldn't even be here.' She called.

'It matters if it makes you unhappy.' Jiminy said and Aurora stopped in her tracks.

'It doesn't.' She said flatly.

'If it doesn't make you unhappy then why do you look so sad?' Jiminy asked her. He didn't like that. He didn't like how down cast she looked when she didn't think anyone was watching her properly. He liked her smile, the way her eyes sparkled and her cheeks flushed nervously.

'Where do you live? The nearest village is at least two hours walk.' Aurora asked him changing the subject.

'We, erm, we don't live in the village. We, well, we travel around a lot.' Jiminy pushed his glasses up his face again and Aurora smiled at this, it was cute. She flushed a little at the thought. He didn't look much like he could be a prince but there was a possibility he could be a humble knight. She smiled again.

'That sounds exciting, the freedom to travel around and see the world outside!' Aurora moved closer to him intrigued and a little excited.

'No, it's not like that.' Jiminy shook his head. 'I, they don't, they're not good people. It's not, but they're my parents. I have to!' He wasn't making much sense and he knew it. He didn't want to frighten her away though. How could he tell her that his job was stealing from people? That he did exactly as his parents asked of him because the courage to escape them failed him. Just like the courage to tell her what he was, was failing him now. He liked her smile though. He wanted to see more of it. There was something more though, he wanted to be the reason behind it. He had never been the reason behind anyone's smile before, apart from when he stole for his parents. Then it was for all the wrong reasons though.

He felt somehow free with her. He knew that she was just as trapped as he was. His parents would stay on the site for a while. That thought made him happy, with three villages in the surrounding area to take their pick from they could easily make a killing, two weeks stay would have them fat and wealthy in no time at all.

Jiminy would come back here again. Whether Aurora were here or not, if there was a chance she'd come here then he'd come back to try and see her again.

'Which, Which story is your favourite?' Jiminy asked her referring to the book.

'Oh, I don't, well,' She breathed deeply. 'I like them all and I know my favourite should probably be one about Princes saving princesses from dragons or slaying evil witches but I really like the one about the knight.' Aurora rubbed her hands together. 'He's just an ordinary man trying to do the right thing.' She smiled up at him.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far they are very much appreciated.  
**_

_**I am going to throw in some things that happen in the show like when the mine collapses but I'm not following a strict timeline of events on the show so to speak =/  
**_


	6. 6: RW: I Like To Keep My Issues Drawn

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

A week had passed since Rory had encountered Archie on the bench, she hadn't spoken to him since but every time he passed her he nodded or said Hello. It made her smile, it made the ache over her heart dull a little and she didn't feel so trapped anymore. She had even taken to leaving the shop and going for a walk, she didn't speak to anyone, but a part of her, a part that was buried quite deep wanted to see Archie again and have him more than simply say hello.

Archie just couldn't pluck up the courage to ask her to go for a walk with him sometime. She'd never agree to it anyway and the small smile she gave him as he said hello to her was probably more to Pongo than him. People like Rory often enjoyed the company of animals a little more than people.

Rory was wandering along, not paying attention when she spotted Archie and Pongo across the street. She was too busy watching them when she stepped out onto the road.

'HEY!' Emma cried loudly pulling her back, Pongo barked on the opposite side of the road and tugged at the lead. Archie looked over to see Emma pull Rory out of the way of a speeding car.

'Hey, you wanna wake up a little! Pay attention to the road sometime.' Emma joked and Rory flushed as she said it.

'Are you ok? I saw what happened.' Archie asked crossing the road. Pongo stuck his nose in Rory's hand and she could feel her cheeks starting to burn.

'I'm fine. Sorry, I'm fine, thank you. I need to get back.' She stammered refusing to make eye contact with either of them afraid they might see exactly what she was thinking, exactly who she had been thinking about that had nearly got her run over. She half hoped. It was a very small hope, something she didn't think she had ever felt before. That he might ask her to dinner sometime.

'Ok.' Emma said sticking her hands in her back pockets as Rory ran off up the street. 'What's her problem?'

'Rory is somewhat, well she's not very good at socialising. She's a little…' Archie trailed off watching Rory.

'Oh, well ok then.' Emma looked a little bemused but smiled noticing Archie's gaze.

'Yes, well patients to see.' Archie nodded to Emma and walked off Pongo trotting along ahead of him.

'Do you know who that was?' Henry asked suddenly appearing at her side. 'Hey Archie.' He shouted to The Doctor as he walked away.

'I don't know Alice in wonderland?' Emma joked. Henry shook his head at her. 'Who do you think she is?'

'Sleeping Beauty.' Henry replied. Emma raised her eyebrows at him.

'I don't know if you've noticed but she's not sleeping.' Emma said to him.

'Exactly!' Henry replied opening the door to Granny's and sitting down at the booth closest to the door.

'Wait you think she's Sleeping Beauty because she's not asleep, you know that sounds…' Emma paused.

'Crazy, you can say it.' Henry rolled his eyes at her. 'She lives with her three aunts, who don't like her talking to strangers and staying out late. She never sleeps. Well that's what I heard…' Henry quietened down as Ruby came over to take their order.

'Are you talking about Rory?' she asked.

'Yeah Emma just saved her life.' Henry chimed looking at Emma proudly.

'No, I didn't not really.' Emma shook her head.

'It's a shame really. She doesn't come out into town much. I guess it has a lot to do with her aunts though.' Ruby replied and stalked off to get their drinks.

'That doesn't make her Sleeping Beauty Henry. Who's the evil witch then? The dragon?' Emma replied to the little boy's excited look.

'No but she is, trust me and beside the stories are a little different.' Henry said quietly leaning in.

'I have a feeling you're going to tell me whether I like it or not.' Emma watched him curiously.

'How much do you know?' Henry asked her.

'When Sleeping Beauty was a kid she's carted off into the woods to live with three fairies. Then she meets the prince. Then she hurts her finger, falls asleep for a thousand years until the prince rescues her, right?' Emma asked him.

'Half-right, Sleeping Beauty's parents had to send her away to save her. When she was staying with the fairies though, she fell in love with someone who wasn't the prince. He was a, a travelling man or something. So she wished she could fall asleep…'

'Until true love's kiss broke the spell…' Emma rolled her eyes at Henry.

'Exactly and we can help her!' Henry said.

'How?' Emma asked him now a little curious.

'What if waking her up, doesn't mean, waking her up?' Henry whispered to her. 'For as long as I've known her she's been sad, and I've never seen her out on the street so much.'

'So you think if we find her true love she'll be happy?' Emma whispered. 'And she'll 'wake up'.'

'Exactly! I knew you'd understand.' Henry smiled and drank down some of his soda.

'Why do you wanna help her?' Emma asked him.

'Because she needs it.' Henry shrugged. 'And the hero's always help people out.' He smiled.

'And we're the hero's?' Emma watched him.

'Well, you're the hero, I'm more the sidekick.' Henry whispered.

* * *

'Doctor Hopper!' Faline beamed as Archie made his way into the costume shop.

'What can we do for you today?' Sunny smiled at him.

'Oh, well, would you believe it. I tore my favourite shirt at the office, I was wondering if…' Archie began. He peered around the shop looking for any sign of Rory.

'No garment too big or too small!' Rose chimed.

'No garment is trouble at all!' Sunny finished.

'This will be no trouble. We'll have it done by tomorrow for you, Doctor Hopper.' Faline nodded to him. He noticed Rory was stood on a ladder organizing some pieces of costume jewellery on a shelf. He managed to wander over as her Aunts busied themselves.

'Hello.' He said, he noticed it startled her a little.

'Is there something you need?' She asked.

'I, just wondered if you were ok? After this morning?' He asked looking up at her.

'What, oh, that was nothing. I just lost my head a little.' She replied.

'Rory dear have you finished that case yet, I need your help!' Faline called from the back of the shop. Archie watched her as she descended the small step ladder and when she stumbled he caught her arm to steady her. Rory looked up at him for a moment, another dent in the fog.

'Thank you.' She smiled at him. She watched him for a moment, there was so much more to him than just the Doctor she knew it, somewhere deep inside.

'RORY!' Her aunts cried in unison from the back.

'Sorry.' She muttered, she shook her head out and a few stray hairs fell out of place around her face. She made to scurry into the back of the shop and looked back for a moment.

'You have a nice smile you know, you should show it off more.' Archie said suddenly. Rory stopped and swallowed, she looked back for a moment a smile crossing her face.

'RORY, will you get in here!' Faline cried again sticking her head out of the back door. 'Sorry Doctor Hopper, didn't realise you were still here, come on Rory I'm sure Doctor Hopper has lots to do.'

'Oh, yes, patients to see.' He nodded to Faline and left the shop rather clumsily.

'Come on Pongo.' Archie smiled down at the dog.

'Now dear. Your aunts and I think that it's about time you started to socialise a bit more.' Faline began as Rory helped pull some bits and pieces of fabric down.

'You are a young lady after all.' Sunny added.

'So we thought that maybe…' Rose began.

'I'm fine as I am.' Rory replied. 'I don't need to go out. Happy see.' She set a fake smile on her face, which turned into a real one when she remembered Archie's words.

'No you're not!' Sunny chided.

'Moping around here all day.' Rose cried.

'And don't think that we buy your sleeping routine.' Faline wagged a finger at her. 'You have a date.'

'I have a what?' Rory asked.

'A date, with Mr Robins, tomorrow night.' Faline said seriously.

'Are you serious?' Rory breathed deeply annoyed her brow creasing. 'I'm a grown woman.' Faline scowled at her niece and walked out into the shop away from her. Sunny followed giving her a knowing nod and only Rose remained.

'She's just worried about you dear. She thinks it will help and probably feels like she's helping. We all miss that smile Mon coccinelle peu.' She beamed at her niece and kissed her on the forehead. Rose had always been her favourite aunt, she was a little softer than the others a little more reluctant to try and enforce things.

* * *

'I don't know what you want me to do kid? Kind of got my own problems at the moment.' Emma sighed but Henry beamed at her and whined please and Emma couldn't resist because she wanted to make him happy and she knew, like Archie had already told her that she couldn't just pull away his ideas about the curse.

'Just talk to her, you know what it's like to be alone right?' Henry said.

'Oh yeah what do you want me to do? Go up to her Hi, sorry we don't know each other but Henry thinks you're sleeping beauty and I'm here to help.' Emma sighed and sat back in her chair. She'd never been good at the whole friendship thing. Becoming friends with Mary Margaret had been a big enough step in itself, just asking someone though, actively trying to be friends with them, that made her edgy and nervous and feel weird.

'Hey that could work!' Henry cried.

'Oh come on Henry.' Emma crossed her arms and sat back in the seat.

'Please. If she finds her prince it might help with the curse!'

'Ok, ok I'll try.' Emma said holding her hands up in defeat. 'This is gunna be awkward.' She sighed.

'Ok we'll meet back here after school and you can report back.' Henry beamed finished his drink and pulled his backpack on before running off to school.

Emma groaned loudly in her seat, this was not going to be easy, it was going to be awkward and she'd probably look stupid. She was thinking about asking Mary Margaret for help when she appeared.

'Oh that doesn't look good.' She said sitting down opposite her. Emma sighed. 'Henry?' she asked her.

'Kid wants me to go and talk to some woman.' Emma said sitting up and tapping her fingers on the side. Mary looked at her curiously.

'Some girl named Rory. Henry thinks she's Sleeping Beauty.' Emma sighed. 'I'm bad enough at making friends as it is never mind forcing it.' She groaned loudly. Mary nodded in recognition and understanding. 'You know her?' Emma asked.

'No, I don't think anyone really does though. She's kind of quiet and I don't think I've ever really seen her at town meetings and what not, in fact I don't think I've ever really seen her out and about. Unless it's with her aunts.' Mary replied. 'What does Henry think you can do?'

'I dunno, but I told him I'd help so I guess I gotta try right?' Emma frowned.

* * *

Rory heard the shop bell tinkle as she sat reading, no one ever came in the shop during the day. It was why her aunts felt they could leave her minding the shop on her own.

'Hi.' Emma said hands in back pockets she approached the counter a little wearily.

'Can I help you?' Rory asked her timidly.

'Yeah, well I heard that you can fix pretty much anything in here, clothes wise I mean.' Emma added. 'I kind a made a mess of this, but I really can't afford to be shopping at the moment.' She added.

Rory took the plastic bag off Emma and pulled out a white shirt covered in all manner of stains, wine, chocolate or was that mud?

'Erm, yeah, it should be ok. I have some stuff in the back, just give me a minute.' Rory said and Emma was surprised by how quiet she actually seemed. It wasn't quiet though, not like Mary Margaret and it wasn't a nervousness either. There was something there though, something stopping her from just smiling properly. She was sad about something.

'So how long have you lived in Storybrooke?' Emma asked her examining some of the costumes on the hangers. Huge blue and purple ball gowns sat near each other on a rail and Emma scrunched her face up at them. They were obviously for a play or pantomime.

'As long as I can remember.' Rory replied. 'This will only take a couple of minutes or so.' She was saying it so Emma knew she wouldn't have to wait in the shop with her long. They stood in silence for a minute and Emma simply examined some of the various bits and pieces littered throughout the busy shop.

'And you've always lived with your aunts?' Emma asked pulling a huge green necklace off the side and examining it a look of distaste on her face, surely nobody in town actually wore this stuff other than for a fancy dress parties?

'Yeah, I never knew my parents.' Rory replied. 'Here we go.' She smiled and handed Emma back the shirt, it was warm and clean.

'Thanks!' Emma said a little impressed with how little time that had taken.

'Just erm, don't tell my aunts how quick that was.' Rory replied.

'Are you ok?' Emma asked her.

'Yeah, I'm fine.' Rory said looking at her a little confused.

'I can tell when people are lying. It's kind of my talent.' Emma added. She looked at Rory with pity in her eyes and it made Rory feel uncomfortable, this was why she didn't go out much, this was exactly why she stayed away from other people because they either asked questions, somewhat worrying about her or she ended up bringing the mood down. She was bad news.

'Henry says you don't go out in town much. That must be lonely being hold up out here all the time.' Emma said sympathetically.

'No, actually no it's not.' Rory said a little firmly and Emma knew she'd touched a nerve because yes, yes it was lonely being on your own all the time. Emma knew that, no matter how much you put a face on sometimes it just hits you.

'Look, Rory I know it's not my place but if you're trapped. I mean if your aunts are keeping you here.' Emma began, she could sense her discomfort and loneliness and it was a natural reaction, a natural conclusion to leap to. Especially seen as the only time she seemed to be out was with her aunts.

'What? No, no of course not!' Rory said in annoyance. 'Look Miss Swan I don't know what people have told you, about me.' Rory paused and swallowed, she closed her eyes and Emma could see they sparkled a little in the dim light of the shop, because it did hurt, because she was lonely but she'd been lonely for a very long time and trapped.

'Or my aunts but it's not like that.'

'Look Rory I know how lonely it can get when you put up barriers to keep people out.' Emma said sensing the tension and feeling she had overstepped the mark.

'Miss Swan, with all due respect you don't know anything about me. I am not good for people to be around.' Rory replied tears threatening to fall down her cheeks. 'Now, if you wouldn't mind, it's lunch time. I need to close up!' Rory held the door open and gestured for her to leave.

'Rory, I was just…'

'Miss Swan please leave the shop is now closed.' Rory said annoyed. Emma almost fell out onto the street.

'Oh, Emma hello. Rory I was just wondering if my shirt was ready?' Archie asked.

'I'm sorry Doctor Hopper we're closed for lunch, please come back later and I'm sure my aunts will have it ready.' Rory said holding back tears.

'Are you ok?' He asked her a little concerned.

'Yes. Please come back later for your shirt.' She said and she pushed the door closed annoyed at them both. There was a soft knock on the door but she ignored it turned the sign to closed and walked off towards the back of the shop. She slunk down against the wall and found the tears just washed over her. She couldn't even really understand why she was crying, she hadn't cried in so long. Then again she hadn't felt anything in a while and now she was confused because part of her wanted to shut the world out and remain the way she was drifting, alone. Then this new part of her recognised something she wanted to be a part of, people she wanted to talk too but she hadn't spoken to anyone in so long she didn't know where to start and she didn't think anyone would want her around anyway. She felt jealous of the clusters of people walking passed the shop and then she felt bad. Then it made her realise just how lonely and trapped she had become and it hurt even more.

Rory sighed and wiped away her tears. She was feeling so many things and after feeling only numb for so long it was confusing and upsetting, she wanted to let these new feelings overtake her but part of her was clinging onto the dense grey fog like it was the only thing protecting her.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far they are very much appreciated.  
**_

_**This one was a little bit longer then planned... never fear Fairytale fluff to come! I figured I can make the real world stuff longer because in FW it's obviously all leading up to when Jiminy becomes a cricket and what not.  
**_


	7. 7:FW: Once We Watched A Lazy World Go By

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

'She's been spending and awful lot of time in the woods lately.' Flora said watching Aurora getting ready from the kitchen.

'No more than usual.' Merryweather smiled.

'Let the girl be, she'll be home soon enough.' Fawna said looking up from her cleaning for a moment.

Aurora hummed merrily as she tied a scarf around her head, letting her hair fall around her shoulders the way Jiminy liked. She didn't really know how many days had passed since she had met him. She only knew that the world was a little brighter and she was no longer alone.

* * *

'Jiminy what on earth are you doing?' Jiminy's mother cried, he was working on something again, the same something he had been working on for two days now. He was making something that wasn't puppets or money and it angered her. She wondered where he kept disappearing off to. He couldn't leave them, he was too valuable. Who else would provide them when they could no longer hobble around? Jiminy had an honest face and that could make them a fortune.

'What, nothing,' he put the bits and pieces in his hand into his pocket. 'I was wondering if perhaps the gold thread, this time, just this once, could I have it.' Jiminy asked cautiously.

His mother let out a loud laugh and his father came to see what the fuss was, she found it all hilarious.

'Jiminy, Jiminy jus-' she breathed a moment, putting a hand on her waist. 'Jiminy just asked me if he could have the gold thread.' She let out another laugh.

'What would you want with gold thread?' His father asked him. 'Is there something you're not telling us Jiminy?'

'No, no.' he said fidgeting, 'I was going to use it on one of the dolls.'

'Now why would we put it to waste on one of those?' His mother asked him.

'I-it was just an idea, it doesn't matter.'

'I think you should leave the ideas to us my boy.' His father replied with a toothy grin. Jiminy sighed and nodded. He had been making something for Aurora, something small. Jiminy had been going back to the forest as much as he could, seeking her out when she wasn't in their usual spot. Jiminy knew something had changed inside him, his heart beat a little faster and he felt free when he was around her. He wouldn't admit it yet but Jiminy was falling in love with her, he couldn't admit it to himself because he was sure despite everything that she couldn't care for him in that way. He was a common thief like his parents, dishonest. Aurora deserved so much more. Yet he couldn't just stay away from her.

Jiminy knew exactly what he wanted to do with Aurora today, he wanted to do something he knew would make her extremely happy.

* * *

Aurora didn't know quite what this was but she knew she never wanted Jiminy to leave, he made her happier than she'd ever felt in her life and she found herself practically running to their spot every time they met.

Aurora saw him pacing the forest floor waiting for her and smiled. Feeling excited and perhaps a little flushed. She enjoyed his company more than anyone she had ever met before. A thought had been playing in her mind the night before; perhaps she was falling in love with him. She squashed it though.

'Hi!' Jiminy beamed when he saw her and she was suddenly very conscious of her hair around her shoulders. She'd worn it that way because he had said he liked it.

'Hi,' she said a little nervously, even though she had seen him so much over the past few days she still felt nervous when she first saw him. Heart beating a little too fast, cheeks flushing and her palms a little hotter than usual. It took a moment before she relaxed a moment before they settled into a routine. The past few days had been spent with Aurora showing him a lot of the forest, her favourite spots and how to gain the affections of the animals. Jiminy telling stories (without the help from the puppets) or Aurora from her book.

'I, I, well, I have a surprise for you.' He said after a moment, they had set off at a slow pace and the urge to interlink their fingers was there for them both but neither acted on it, nervous and unsure of how the other would react. When Aurora had grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the stream a few days earlier he'd blushed furiously as his whole body had seemed to tingle in anticipation and she had seemed to not even notice exactly what effect she was having on him.

'A surprise?' She asked as Jiminy dug around in his pockets for something. She looked at him curiously and felt her heart flutter a moment.

'I, well, I made it, I thought you might like it.' He handed it to her a little roughly, pushing it into her hands and not meeting her eyes.

Aurora took the small piece of string in her hands and examined it. It was just a piece of string. It appeared to be twine and hanging from it were several tiny wooden charms; a cricket, a ladybird, a book and a tree. Aurora was silently turning it over in her hands, taken aback by his generosity and the effort he had gone to.

'I knew it was a bad idea.' Jiminy sighed, his back still to her. 'I just, well, I thought it was a, I thought it-' he knew it, he knew as soon as he had put his hand into his pocket that it wasn't a good idea to give it her. It looked like too much effort had gone into it, it was silly and explaining the things on it would show how much thought he had put into it. He knew she'd think he was silly.

Aurora turned it over in her hands, her fingers tracing he grooves of the tiny wooden trinkets and her heart skipping a beat.

'Oh Jiminy, it's beautiful.' She breathed. She looked up at him for a moment and then threw her arms around his neck giving him a hug. Realising what she was doing she flushed a little and pulled away from him turning her attention back to the bracelet.

'Y-you really think so?' He asked looking around and wondering about her expression she was staring at it.

'Nobody's ever. Here, help me put it on.' She smiled and held it out to him and then her wrist. 'I can't believe you made this.'

'I wanted gold thread but I couldn't get any and well, there was supposed to be a fox but I'm not very good. I thought you'd like the ladybug though, you said you liked them.' He said his fingers fumbling over the twine as he tried to tie it.

'No, no it's perfect as it is!' She cried.

'I, I have another surprise for you.' Jiminy said spurred on by her happiness at the bracelet.

'Jiminy,' she sighed and shook her head. 'I don't have anything to give you in return.' She looked a little downcast.

'I don't want anything.' _Except to see you smile_ he added inside his own head. There wasn't escaping it, he enjoyed her smile he liked it a lot and he liked the way she sounded when she laughed and the little giggle she did when he fell over a tree root.

'Come on, we don't want to miss the show.' He said and started walking off into the forest. She didn't let up all the way there asking him where they were going and what on earth they were doing. She also reminded him she wasn't supposed to go outside the forest boundaries. Then again she was already breaking the rules.

Jiminy stopped when they got to the forests edge and she could see a small gathering of people a short way away. Jiminy couldn't go into the crowd either, he couldn't risk his parents seeing him but he had come up with a way to show her what he wanted without them seeing.

A circus had come to town a few days before and his parents had been making a killing with all the extra people it was bringing to them. They'd conned so many people out of things they owned or loved within the past few days. Jiminy just wanted to show Aurora the show the dancers were putting on, a tale about the woodlands. A dance of sorts about a butterfly coming into being and other bugs trying to prevent it, it was supposed to be a tale like those she read in her books and he could imagine her enjoying it.

'We need to climb.' He smiled at her. It had only taken him so long to bring her because he was trying to find the perfect spot where she could see everything and he had. A huge tree with a thick base, where it branched out there was a space just big enough for them both to sit in comfortably and be able to see the show. Jiminy easily climbed up and then held out a hand to help her up which Aurora took without even thinking about it.

'I thought you'd like to see the show, it has dancing in it.' Jiminy beamed as they stood for a moment and he pointed to where a man in a top hat was stood introducing the show to the crowd, they could just hear it.

Jiminy sat back into the small cleared area. It seemed he had overestimated the space they actually had and he was about to wriggle to the side in an attempt to make more room. Expecting her to sit next him, but she frowned at the lack of room and before he could move she sat in front of him in between his legs. So her head was resting on his chest. She wasn't flush against him yet and sat forward a little watching the opening of the show.

It was so easy and felt so right and normal that Aurora didn't see anything wrong with how they were sat. Jiminy was embarrassed though blushing furiously behind her at how close she was. Even though it felt right, because it did he was fighting the urge to put his hands around her waist and remained tense as she leaned forward watching as the dancing commenced.

She was enthralled and thoroughly enjoying it and when she leaned back against him half way through the show, lazily interlinking her fingers with his it seemed like the most normal thing in the world. The most perfect thing in the world and Jiminy felt the embarrassment ebb away, because as much as he was trying to fight it and come up with a million reasons this was wrong, he'd never felt happier or more honest.

'What happened?' Aurora sat up suddenly as the dancer playing the caterpillar fell to the floor and other dancers moved around her. She looked at him a little desperately and then back to the stage.

'Watch.' Jiminy said leaning up and smiling at her reaction. At how enthralled in the story she had become, it was something so endearing. Even when he was simply telling her stories about his day she listened to every last detail.

Aurora relaxed again as the butterfly began to emerge from within the other dancers and began to take the stage as her own. She wriggled a little and Jiminy blushed furiously, grateful she couldn't see his face. Aurora wasn't even thinking about what she was doing, it was almost second nature. She was too enthralled in the show to actually be thinking about what she was doing as she rested her head on his chest and brought his hands around her waist, feeling sleepy and slowly beginning to drift off to the sound of music and Jiminy's heartbeat.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far they are very much appreciated.  
**_

_**And now it's back to Storybrooke =)  
**_


	8. 8: RW: Talk Myself In, I Talk Myself Out

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

Archie sat in the office after dinner just wondering about Rory, about what had got her so upset. He'd thought she was making progress, if that's what it could be called. Heaven knows he couldn't help calling it that. It was hard not to analyse people when it was your job, it was hard to try not to work everyone out, most of the time it was curiosity or the ridiculous compulsion to help people he had. Archie didn't simply want to help her though, Archie wanted to get to know her.

With others in the town he wanted to help, he really did. It was only a small town so naturally most people knew one another but he didn't in all honesty have a burning need to get to know them all on a friendship based level. On a level that was anything but professional or civil. There was no one he really felt like that about; he and Marco for example had been friends for years and frequently had dinner together or went for drinks every once in a while. Someone like him and Leroy though, maybe because Leroy was the town drunk, but he'd never felt anything close to wanting friendship, simply a need to help him. Rory was different though, he wanted to know about her, he wanted to hear about her favourite films and books or what she liked to do on a warm summer's day.

Pongo was scratching at the door again and Archie realised he didn't have any patients for the next hour; a walk might be in order. It would clear his thoughts a little, even if at that moment he was hoping that the walk would mean bumping into Rory.

* * *

Rory felt guilty about the way she had acted, a part of her was still adamant it was for the best though. Staying in the numb and familiar fog that sat in her chest was better than hope and in return disappointment that could come from letting herself stray into feeling.

Rory didn't know who she was kidding, she was scared, not scared, terrified of stepping out of the normality her life had become she just wasn't about to admit it.

She was reading on the bench in the park when she felt a wet nose prodding at her hand again. She didn't need to look down to know who it belonged to but she did anyway.

'Go home Pongo.' She said a little angrily. The dog didn't move, 'Go on! Go home!' she tried to shoo him away and went back to her book. Pongo didn't move, instead he put his head on the book so she couldn't read.

'I thought you were supposed to be a good dog, obedient? Why are you off your lead again huh?' Pongo only moved his head closer in reply looking up at her. Then he lifted his head and bounded off towards Archie who chided him lightly and then looked curiously to where Pongo had been a moment a go.

Archie walked over and sat down on the other end of the bench, he wasn't entirely sure of what he was going to accomplish but he sat down anyway.

Rory put her hands on the book and sighed, what was the point in trying to read. Her mind hadn't been focused on it anyway. She closed it slowly and ran her hand along the frayed edges. They sat in silence for a moment and Rory knew exactly what she wanted to say but she was struggling, it was better if she didn't surely?

'I'm sorry, about before.' She said taking a deep breath before she spoke, she looked at him for a moment but he was looking out, sitting forward ever ready to listen. 'I just,' she sighed and stopped.

'W-would you like to talk about it?' Archie asked. He regretted his tone instantly too clinical.

'I don't need a psychiatrist.' She said pointedly. She was playing with her middle finger, had there been a ring on it he was sure she would have been fiddling with that.

'Perhaps a friend then?' Archie asked her.

'I don't have any.' Rory replied.

'Oh I wouldn't say that.' Archie smiled a petted Pongo on the head who stuck his tongue out and licked at his master's hand. The gesture said Pongo was her friend but didn't outwardly say Archie was. Subtext said Archie was though or would like to be at very least. Rory sighed and blinked slowly. This was a bad idea. This was a very bad idea, terrible in fact. She was silent for a moment as she searched for the right words but a smile crossed her face.

'You know it's funny, I can't ever remember being happy, ever, not once in my whole life.' She stopped for a moment. 'It's hard to explain. Everything has always just been numb. Grey, I never even really cared about friends or anything like that because I was just so numb all the time and then things started to change. I don't know why but they did. When she came in this morning and just asked me if I was ok. I don't even know where to begin.' She put her head in her hands shaking it lightly.

Archie watched her curiously, he wanted to reach out and put a hand on hers, reassuringly but he didn't. There was no way he would feel comfortable doing that, he was too shy and he had no idea how she'd react.

'Before I was so, indifferent to everything that happened around me, just drifting and then something changed and suddenly I find myself wanting to go into Granny's, sit down and try to make some friends. Then there's this part of me that says it's a stupid idea, because I'll just be disappointed and whatever I'm feeling now, well disappointment would be worse. Now I'm jealous of people.' She gestured to a group of friends that passed them. 'I've never been jealous of anyone. I don't know how to react anymore and I don't like it. I'd rather go back to being numb.' She sighed and sat back slipping her hands under her thighs and rocking on them a little before removing them and fiddling with her jeans.

'Change is a, it's a difficult thing. It can be somewhat scary too, stepping into the unknown.' Archie pushed his glasses up his nose a little and looked at her.

'This is happiness though! Same rules don't apply do they! Sorry, I don't mean to ramble.' She looked up at him sheepishly.

'No, no I think it's good that you're even out here. I don't think happiness has any rules, surely happiness is better than feeling numb?' Archie added and watched her a little. Pongo put his head in her hands again and she sighed and stroked his head. Even now as she sat here, she could feel it in her chest she was happy, she was feeling happy and yet something was telling her she should guard herself. She shouldn't let herself feel it.

'I'm terrified of feeling anything.' She said quietly after a moment.

'I-I think after someone has, well after they've built up a wall. To protect themselves, it's. Well it's difficult to break down. Y-you just have to find the right people, to help you do it.' Archie kept his eyes on her as she tilted her head and he knew his words had resonated with her. He looked away quickly feeling his cheeks go a little warmer as she looked at him.

'I don't even know where to begin.' She stroked Pongo's head a little absent minded.

'Well, I think you're off to a good start. Maybe the next step would be apologising to Emma though.' He reached for Pongo's head and when his hand accidentally touched hers they pulled away quickly embarrassed.

'Sorry. I-I should be going, I have appointments to keep.' he said and Rory noticed the rosy tint to his cheeks and smiled. She liked that, it was sweet, the small stammer between some of his words, the soft tones to his voice. It was like he was soothing her very soul and yet as she sat on the bench she felt the world was a little brighter and she found herself watching Archie and wondering if it was him who had caused the change. She squashed this thought though, it couldn't be. He stood up and turned back before he made to leave. He looked at her for a moment and tilted his head as though thinking of the right words to say.

'Pongo and I usually take a walk around 6oclock after my last appointment. If you'd like to join us?' Pongo barked in appreciation and Rory looked up at him a little surprised. Archie had surprised himself but when he'd sat next to her he'd found himself feeling a little braver.

'Oh, well, I-' she began.

'I don't think Pongo will take no for an answer.' Archie interjected shooting her a smile.

'Well, if Pongo insists.' Rory replied feeling a sudden confidence blooming in her chest she smiled up at him and then gave Pongo a friendly scratch. She bid Archie farewell and decided that she would go and apologise to Emma.

* * *

Emma was in Granny's, sat in a booth on her own with a cup in front of her looking at the paper. Rory slid into the opposite side and Emma held her hands up in defence.

'Hey I'm not looking for round two.' She said shaking her head.

'Neither am I,' Rory smiled, brimming with confidence and feeling happy after her encounter with Archie. 'I'm really, really sorry about this morning. I didn't mean to over react, I jus-'

'Hey you don't need to explain an apology is enough.' Emma replied.

'No, I should, I've just, things have been changing for me and I just, I feel like I've been asleep for a very long time and I'm starting to wake up. Oh god that sounded awful.' Rory put her head in her hands.

'Oh I know that feeling.' Emma smiled. Mary Margaret suddenly came in and she gave her a wave.

'I should be going, I just wanted to apologise.' Rory smiled as Mary Margaret approached the table.

'Don't go on my accord.' Mary said to her.

'I have things I should be doing.' She smiled at the pair of them and left Granny's heading to the shop heart a little lighter and the world seeming a little brighter.

'I have never seen her in here, especially not this time of day.' Mary said a little wide eyed and shooting Emma a smile. 'I see your mission went well?'

'Don't, she was just apologising for throwing me out of the shop.' Emma replied.

* * *

'I-I honestly didn't think you'd come.' Archie beamed when he saw Rory walking towards him and Pongo. Pongo wagged his tail and showed enough enthusiasm for the both of them.

'Well I didn't want to let Pongo down.' She smiled a little bashfully at him and leant down to say hello to Pongo. Her hair was still tied up clipped at the back of her head but the way a few strands fell around her face looked lovely.

To start it was a little awkward, the conversation a little stoppered. Rory was nervous and if he was honest so was Archie. Rory didn't want to say the wrong thing but soon enough they were happily chit chatting about life in Storybrooke about idea's, favourite animals and inevitably Pongo and Archie was about to tell her the story of how he had come to find Pongo when Rory realised the time and despite wanting desperately to stay she didn't want her aunts asking too many questions. She promised him she was ready to hear it though, as soon as they could go for another walk.

'I think I know who her prince charming is.' Henry positively beamed at Emma and gestured to Archie and Rory who were strolling along the street Pongo wagging his tail happily in front of them.

'You think Archie is her prince charming?' Emma looked down at him curiously. 'I thought Archie was Jiminy Cricket?'

'He is, but before he was Jiminy Cricket he was a man who travelled around a lot.' Henry looked at Emma expecting her to know what he was talking about. 'And Sleeping Beauty fell in love with a travelling man.' Henry watched them and Emma gave him a nudge.

'Stop staring.' She chided softly.

'We should help them.' Henry said.

'I don't think they need it.' Emma replied. Henry was still looking at them though.

'Yeah, they do.' He smiled to Emma and walked off ahead of her as Archie and Rory said an awkward goodbye to one another.

* * *

Rory had forgotten about the date her aunts had set up for her and when she remembered she felt a little sick, she didn't want to go and she'd told her Aunt Faline as much when they'd been out in town that morning. Rory had no idea that Henry had been listening though and he was formulating a plan so that someone very different to Mr Robins would be turning up for it.

Rory got dressed up to appease her aunts. She was wearing a bottle green dress that looked like it had come straight out of the 50's. Her hair was half up half down and over one shoulder because Faline and Sunny couldn't decide which looked best. They made her up and shipped her out, she felt a little like a rag doll at the end of whole ordeal. She didn't even feel like she looked that nice. Rose had given her a sympathetic look as she left.

'Henry, I don't think that this is a good idea!' Emma hissed at him as he hid up the side of Granny's awaiting who they knew they had to distract.

'Relax, all we have to do is tell him she's sick.' Henry smiled.

'Henry, we shouldn't be messing in people's love lives.' Emma grimaced.

'Quick he's coming!' Henry cried and pushed Emma out in front of Mr Robins.

'Miss Swan right?' He said as she stumbled in front of him shooting the alleyway an unimpressed glance. Henry stepped out. 'Hi Henry!'

'Yes, are you Mr Robins?' Emma asked.

'Yes, can I help you? I've just got somewhere to be.' Mr Robins said watching them, trying to glance into the diner.

'You were supposed to be meeting Miss Bell weren't you?' Henry asked and Emma tried to shush him. 'She's gone home, she said she felt sick.' Henry blurted out and Emma watched him a frown appearing on her face.

'Oh, ok, no matter.' Mr Robins said looking a little down hearted, he glanced towards Granny's and then turned on his heel and left.

'I can't believe you just did that! We shouldn't be doing this kid!' Emma cried in annoyance but Henry pulled her back into the alley as Archie came around the corner and entered the diner. When he was in and sat in a booth Henry pulled Emma along to where they could see the diner but couldn't _be _seen.

'Now we wait.' Henry said. Henry watched as Granny passed Archie the note he'd left and saw him sigh and shrug. Emma was shaking her head. This wasn't going to work surely, it couldn't it was a ridiculous idea.

Archie noticed Rory sat in the corner on her own, she looked very pretty. A little too dressed up for Granny's, unless she was on a date. His heart sank a little. He sighed and watched her a moment, she checked her watch a little nervously and fidgeted seeming to feel uncomfortable. Henry and Emma were supposed to be meeting him something to do with Operation Cobra but it transpired they had left him a note something to do with Regina kicking up a fuss. Rory sighed again and Archie decided to turn this to his advantage.

'Rory?' he said a little nervously, mocking surprise to see her.

'Hi!' Rory couldn't hide the smile on her face when she saw it was Archie.

'I see you're being a little braver.' He said referring to their earlier conversation.

'What, oh, this no.' Rory smiled inwardly when he sat down in the seat opposite her. 'My aunts set me up on a date.' She grimaced.

'Oh,' Archie's face fell. 'Oh, sorry I'll jus-'

'No, Archie, stay please. In all honesty I think he came in saw me and left.' She joked.

'Oh, no, no I don't think that, maybe, maybe he just got sick.' Archie replied.

'I think my explanation is more likely. Besides, I'm more than a little relieved.' She sighed and traced the edge of her cup with her fingers. 'I didn't want to go on a date anyway, my aunts set it up and wouldn't leave me alone.' She added.

'I'm sure they're just trying to help.' Archie said softly.

'Are you not meeting anyone?' Rory asked him, she liked when he smiled, he had a nice smile. She liked the way he was playing with his thumbs not seeming to know quite what to do with his hands as they rested on the table.

'N-no I was supposed to be meeting Henry and Emma but it seems there's been some trouble.' Archie replied. Rory bit her lip and closed her eyes feeling like she was about to step into the deep end of a pool. Archie watched her curiously somewhat enjoying the expression on her face.

'Maybe,' she breathed, 'maybe we could get another coffee and you could finish telling me about how you found Pongo.' She smiled at him as his mouth made a small 'o' and suddenly she realised what it might have implied. 'No, no Archie I don't mean, I just meant-' she panicked a little.

'W-what are you having?' Archie asked suddenly feeling a little less nervous and a little braver then he had before. Rory smiled at him and he felt his heart give a little jolt.

'See I told you!' Henry said to Emma, they waited a good ten minutes on the opposite side of the street watching Archie and Rory laughing with one another.

'That doesn't mean they're in love kid.' Emma sighed.

'Not yet.' Henry simply replied.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely reviews so far they are very much appreciated.  
**_

_**And now it's back to Fairytale World =)  
**_


	9. 9: FW: My Heart Has Wings And I Can Fly

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

Jiminy didn't think he'd ever felt more conflicted on the one hand he felt so unbelievably happy and on the other he knew it should come to an end it had to. Aurora had fallen asleep with her head on his chest and his arms around her waist and he could smell something sweet in her hair. The urge to kiss the top of her head was so strong and yet still so forbidden. The show had finished and the circus had moved onto other acts. Jiminy had no idea how long they'd been sat like this because he didn't care.

Aurora stirred softly, she felt home, for the first time in her life she felt she was where she was supposed to be, no yearning to escape, no burning desire to run away and look for more exciting pastures. She felt home, she felt whole. She could feel the tingles of passion setting in as she realised her hand was still interlinked with his.

'What time is it?' She asked sitting up and stretching a little, Jiminy shifted a little uncomfortably and felt a little embarrassed at the contact her wriggling caused.

'Early afternoon, I can't get to my pocket watch at the moment.' He smiled she pulled herself up and stretched, yawning a little as she did. They climbed down the tree easily, a little stiff from the hours spent up there. They landed on the forest floor with a soft thud. Perdy greeted them apparently she had tucked herself away at the base of the tree. Aurora greeted her kneeling down and then picking up the fox.

'Sorry Perdy.' She smiled to her and kissed the fox's head whirling her around in a dancing motion.

'What now?' she beamed at Jiminy.

'Uhm, I'm not sure, what do you want to do?' He asked her.

'Anything.' Aurora replied and there was so much more than just the word there because she wanted to say as long as I'm with you but she resisted. They walked for a while, talking animatedly about the show, about how much fun it must be to be a part of, how Aurora was a little sad that she had missed the rest of the show and Jiminy agreed he'd take her back again if she wanted.

Jiminy stopped suddenly where he was, feeling brave, braver then he'd ever felt and at the same time scared but it was now or never. He had to tell her how he felt no matter how difficult it was, he had to tell her because if he didn't the feeling was going to explode out of him sooner or later.

'A-Aurora, I have someth-' he turned to talk to her but his sentence was interrupted by a scream. She'd walked on ahead of him. Jiminy ran forward scared of what the screaming might mean.

'Give us your gold or we won't let you pass!' A gruff looking man growled a hand on her neck.

'Get off me!' Aurora retorted trying to fight back.

'l-let her go!' Jiminy cried from a short distance away. The men stopped and looked at him for a moment, three men dressed all in black with swords at their hilts.

'L-let her go.' One of the guards imitated him and let out a laugh. 'You got something to pay for the pretty lady with?' he asked stroking her face. Aurora struggled against him.

'We don't, we don't have anything.' Jiminy replied his eyes hit the floor and he couldn't look up, he was a coward and he'd never had to fight before.

'We then I'm sure the pretty lady can give us something worthwhile to pay for your passage.' The second man grunted and he ran a hand over Aurora's neck and breasts. Aurora's blood ran cold at the thought. She'd had to fight off men before but never three, never this big. Her eyes were wide with fear as the man holding her licked a stripe up the side of her face.

'Don't you touch her!' Jiminy said suddenly digging deep inside himself, he'd never had to fight for anything in his life but seeing the fear on Aurora's face ignited something inside him that told him he would fight to the very end for her. That he would die for her were it needed. He strode toward the man not entirely sure what he was doing.

The third man laughed loud and gruff into the surrounding forest. Aurora's eyes closed slowly and a tear rolled down her cheek as the first man tightened his grip on her neck and the fact her chest was rising and falling fast seemed to be pleasing them all the more.

'We don't have any gold.' Aurora said quietly again fear evident in her voice.

'Maybe it's not gold we want anymore.' The third man said a little hungrily. Jiminy took another step forward and the guard hit him hard in the face so he fell to the floor. Aurora screamed loudly.

'NO! Stop, ok!' She screamed. Jiminy was up on his feet again though shaking his head and wiping blood from his nose. 'Go,' she nodded to him. 'I'm not worth it.' There were tears rolling down her face, she was trying to protect him. The men mocked her and then shoved her a little roughly and this angered Jiminy all the more. He looked around and saw Perdy skulking around biding her time, he hoped if he nodded she'd understand what he meant and she did. He knew that the fox was smart and as the guard turned back round he punched him as hard as he could. It wasn't that effective and hurt Jiminy's hand more than it did the guards face but it distracted him long enough for the small fox to bound over and snap its jaw between his legs. Jiminy pulled the man's sword from its place as he fell to the floor in agony. Perdy let go and ran to bite at the ankles of the man who was holding Aurora, he flung Aurora to the floor as he attempted to kill the little fox.

'You think you can take me boy?' The man growled at Jiminy. 'You think you can win this fight, I'll kill you and then take her anyway.'

'No, you won't.' Aurora said suddenly from behind him, she hit the man hard over the head with a rock and watched him fall to the ground unconscious.

'Come on!' Jiminy grabbed her hand and threw the sword to the floor tearing off into the forest, Perdy bounded along ahead of them and they could hear the men shouting loudly as they somewhat regained their composure and made to chase them.

They ran for a short while before Jiminy stopped for a moment panting. He leant forward resting his hands on his thighs and suddenly Aurora threw her hands around his neck and hugged him tightly, tighter then she had before. Her chest was still heaving from running and she nuzzled her nose against his shoulder.

'You saved my life.' She breathed, Jiminy didn't know quite what to do with his hands but he rested them on her back and gave her a gentle squeeze. 'You saved me.' She said pulling away a little and looking up at him, she was still a little breathless.

'Of course I did.' Jiminy said meeting her eyes, his hand found its way into her hair his thumb brushing her cheek lightly. 'Aurora I, I n-' he began but they were interrupted by the sound of the men shouting again.

'Come on, I know where we can hide.' Aurora said taking his hand and tugging lightly as he remained staring at the place where she had been, the words he wanted to say on the tip of his tongue.

She took him to a secluded spot near the river that she'd shown him once before but the men were still following, she pulled him up over the rocks and behind the waterfall into a cavern. Aurora pulled her cloak off as they made their way through so it wouldn't get as wet as the rest of her things, which while not soaked were damp from the spray of the waterfall.

'We should be safe in here.' She breathed and sat down. Aurora's hand drifted to her wrist and her fingers found the bracelet in the dim light of the cave, she smiled and turned to face him more than ready to tell him exactly how she felt.

'Jiminy I- I need to tell you something.' She said facing away from him and looking at the fuzzy landscape beyond the waterfall. She bit down on her lip hard not knowing how to start not wanting to see his reaction. 'I, well,' she paused and took a breath, 'I never felt at home or free or anything like that until you came along. Until you came along I never thought I could be this happy.' She paused a moment and Jiminy waited with baited breath as she turned to look at him.

He watched her and a sudden realisation hit him. She looked so beautiful against the waterfall and the light that was coming from it, her hair was slightly damp but lay around her shoulders and her eyes were watering a little. She deserved so much more than him. She deserved a prince, a knight in shining armour. She deserved everything that she read about in her storybooks. She didn't deserve a petty thief. A man with good intentions which he never filled, it was breaking his heart to realise that he could never be good enough for her, even if she did make him feel like he was. Aurora made him feel free, she made him feel brave, made him want to escape his life. She made him want to change and strive to be a better man, to escape his parents and run away with her. She made him feel he could do anything he wanted, even fly.

'Aurora what is it?' he asked taking her hand trying to reassure her offer some comfort.

'Do you really not know?' She asked him because she didn't want to say it and the fear of rejection welled inside her and she didn't think she'd be able to take the heartbreak if he said he didn't feel the same.

'Know what, what is it? Are you hurt?' he asked cupping her cheek with his hand and letting his thumb brush away the tear, her hair felt soft and tickled the back of his hand a little but he never pulled it away.

'No, no Jiminy I'm, I mean,' she sighed and shut her eyes. 'I'm in love with you.'

She waited for his reply and cracked open an eye a little as his hand dropped from her face and he stepped back a moment.

'Oh, oh no, no Aurora, you can't, not with me. I'm not a good person.' Jiminy stammered.

'I knew, I knew you couldn't love me.' She nodded and choked out.

'Oh no, Aurora no,' Jiminy was back in front of her in a heartbeat his hand on her face again. 'I've been in love with since the second day I saw you, which is why we can't do this.' Jiminy put his forehead to hers and shook it gently, his own eyes were teary.

'You love me?' She asked a little scared.

'Of course, which is exactly why we can't do this, you deserve so much better. You deserve a prince.' He said walking away from her and hanging his head in shame. 'You deserve a good, decent and honest man.'

Jiminy paused for a moment.

'I haven't been entirely honest with you.' He said and Aurora's face turned from panic to confused, 'My parents are con artists, thieves and I-I- well I've been helping them all my life, I'm not better than them, a crook and a coward. I'm sorry.'

'Jiminy, I don't understand, has this been? But I have nothing.' Aurora was confused, she had nothing to give him. She didn't own anything he could steal.

'No, no but don't you see I can't escape them. They won't let me leave.' Jiminy replied. Aurora was looking at him confused, had he just told her he loved her? He had hadn't he? Why was he saying they couldn't be together then? She didn't understand.

Aurora stood up and Jiminy watched her unsure of what she was about to do but she crossed the cave to him put her hands on the side of his face and kissed him deeply. Jiminy didn't resist because he couldn't a hand instinctively landed on her waist and he squeezed slightly, pulling her closer. As her lips moved over his he knew he couldn't leave her, because that kiss ignited something that had lay dormant for so long. He pulled her closer in an effort to drown out the little voice inside his head that was telling him all the reasons he didn't deserve her, every bad thing he had ever done. Every lie he had ever told, he was trying to drown out the voice that told him he didn't deserve to be happy, but he did, surely he deserved a little happiness. His life after all, for everything he had done wrong he had never been happy and he had tried to stop it.

'I love you.' He said into the kiss and he felt her grip on him tighten and she smiled beneath him.

'I love you to.' She said breaking the kiss, she wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

'Aurora.' Jiminy began again and she put a finger to his lips.

'Don't you dare! You have more than proved yourself a knight today.' She smiled and then kissed him again, a little gentler this time and yet somehow meaning more. She returned her head to his chest and he wrapped his arms around her protectively. Maybe he did deserve her after all.

Jiminy had never felt freer in all his life, more at home, more at peace then he did now. He felt happiness spread through him and he felt a better man already. He felt for the first time truly like an honest man, like a good man.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	10. 10: RW: Let The Stormy Clouds Chase

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

'Did you find out?' Henry beamed at Emma. 'The stuff for operation field mouse.'

'Operation field mouse, really?' Emma asked him, the kid was like a dog with a bone and it didn't seem like there was anything she could do to stop him interfering with Archie and Rory. Henry had convinced himself that they were supposed to be together and there was no telling him otherwise.

'Well I couldn't call it operation insect that might be too easy to work out.' Henry rolled his eyes at her as they sat in Granny's.

'Oh. Henry I don't think this is a good idea, if two people are meant to be together th-' Emma began but stopped as Ruby came over with their drinks.

'No, no, no that wasn't A Study in Pink!' Rory said as she came through the door to Granny's with Archie. They'd been walking Pongo again and Henry practically beamed at Emma, after their impromptu dinner date Archie and Rory had been seen out together several times, they were nothing but friends of course, friends who liked to walk through town almost every evening together but still just friends.

'I'm pretty sure it is.' Archie retorted.

'No, it's, it's erm, oh god I'm so bad with names.' Rory said putting her hands to her face. 'It's, The Adventure of The Red Headed League!' she smiled at him and her eyes travelled up to his hair and she supressed a giggle.

'W-what exactly are you laughing at?' He asked supressing the grin on his own face.

'Nothing, anyway it's the one with the useless clerical work he has to do.' Rory said picking up the warm mug of cocoa in her hand.

'Hey Archie!' Henry cried as Archie and Rory turned to try and find a booth to sit in, it was a little chilly outside and the cocoa was nice and warming. Granny's was a little busier than usual.

'Henry!' Emma hissed. Rory gave Emma a small nod, but she still seemed nervous.

'Hi, Henry.' Archie replied. 'Oh, Rory, this is Henry. He is a patient of mine. Henry this is Rory.'

'Hi.' Rory raised her hand nervously at him.

'Hi!' Henry smiled at her and seemed to study her for a moment. 'Did you know Archie's favourite film is Singing in the Rain?' Henry blurted out and Emma stared at him wide eyed and a little open mouthed, she looked from Archie's flushed cheeks to the small smile that crossed Rory's face and felt the pang of awkwardness and embarrassment they both felt.

'No, I didn't know that.' Rory replied quietly.

'Y-y-yes well, I think perhaps we should be moving along. I'll see you later Henry.' Archie said his cheeks rosy and feeling thoroughly embarrassed, Singing in the Rain wasn't exactly the manliest of films.

'Is that really your favourite film?' Rory asked as they slid into a booth and she took a sip of her cocoa, she checked her watch conscious of the fact she had to be back at the shop soon.

'Unfortunately.' He grimaced.

'Why unfortunately? If it's your favourite film you should be happy about it.' Rory smiled at him. 'It's also a very good choice.'

Archie felt his cheeks go even redder and he lifted his eyes from the mug of cocoa to watch Rory who was looking around Granny's.

'Mine, mine's Ghostbusters.' She sighed and shook her head then took another drink of her cocoa a smirk crossing her face.

'See, they just need a little help.' Henry said to Emma.

'Oh kid come on, I think you've done enough now.' Emma sighed.

'Hmmm, not yet.' Henry replied.

* * *

'Hey, hey are you ok?' Rory said to Henry as he ran passed her in the corridor tears were streaming down the kids face. She stuck her head into Archie's open door.

'Hey, Marco said you were busy but I thought afterward you might want something to eat, so, well I brought you something. What was up with Henry?' She asked putting the small bag filled with food on the side and then looking at him for the first time. He was crying, Archie was crying and he looked so torn and fragile sat in the chair his head in his hands.

'Oh, my god Archie what is it?' She asked him, almost on instinct she walked over and sat in front of him taking his hands in hers trying to comfort him. 'What happened?' She asked him again.

Archie shrugged her off and sniffed, 'I-I-I told him the truth. I had to, what other option was there.'

'Told who the truth? Archie?' Rory replied watching him he stood up pacing, running his hands through his hair.

'I had to, he's delusional. He'll end up getting himself locked up.' Archie replied.

'Archie you're not making any sense? Rory looked from the door and back to Archie and made a small o with her mouth. 'Archie tell me you didn't,' she sighed, 'tell me you're not the reason he was that upset.'

'W-when one cure doesn't work you change tactics.' Archie said more to himself then to Rory who watched him intently, not fully believing what she was hearing that the man she knew, the man she had gotten to know over the past few weeks could be so cruel.

'Please tell me you didn't just tell a little boy that he'll get locked up for believing in magic.' Rory sighed deeply and looked at him mouth a little agape. He looked up at her and away quickly. She was looking at him like he was the most despicable of human beings but there was something more there, disappointment. He was disappointed in himself of course he was and he knew he had done wrong but the way she was looking at him hurt a hell of a lot more.

'I-I-I did what was for the best.' Archie replied.

'He's a kid Archie!' she cried.

'I do not have to defend my professional decisions to someone who, who knows nothing about the profession.' Archie replied. Rory scoffed at him a little, he chanced a glance at her and the look on her face hurt.

'I may not know anything about the profession but I know he's just a kid. You don't jus-' Archie cut her off.

'Forgive me Rory if I-I-I don't take professional advice from someone who, who works in a costume shop.' _Ouch _Rory thought to herself. He was being defensive he knew it and he hoped she knew it. She looked him up and down disappointment still etched on her face.

'I may only work in a shop, but I still know right from wrong.' Rory said a little angrily.

'I did my best' he mumbled, eyes trained on the floor.

'Well, I hope you have a fun time convincing yourself of that because you sure aren't convincing anybody else.' Then she was gone, she disappeared slamming the door as she left and 20 minutes later Emma was banging on his door for exactly the same reasons.

* * *

Rory had been in the shop when she'd heard the news about the mine. She'd overheard people talking outside the open door and wondered what had happened. When they told her, when they told her Archie was stuck down there she had felt a tight pang of panic in her chest unlike anything before. She couldn't lose him. He was her friend, her only friend, her best friend. She couldn't lose him. She'd shut up shop and gone down to wait for word, she was dancing on the periphery when Marco had come over to her and reassured her Archie would be ok.

Rory felt horrible, the way she'd looked at him, the way he'd looked when she had left the office. He'd been so torn and she hadn't even been nice to him. Archie had taken her from a broken empty shell walking around in a grey mist and helped her. He had brought her out of herself a little. He had encouraged her to converse with people. He had even introduced her to a few. He had made her a better person and it hurt that she might lose him. She wondered if there was something else there, another feeling perhaps but she shook her head, she couldn't afford to think of that.

Then he emerged and she almost cried, almost, she managed to hold them back and she danced on the edge of the crater watching everyone gather around him and shake his hand.

'I think there is someone who wants to see you.' Marco whispered to Archie and nodded in the direction of Rory who was stood away from the crowd just watching and waiting for the opportune moment to speak to him. 'She's been here all day.' Marco gave him a nod as Rory began to make her way over to them.

'Archie, I'm sorry, about before. I never should have, I mean you were right. I don't know about these things.' She said her voice shaking a little. She wanted to hug him but wondered if it would be inappropriate.

'No, no Rory, I'm sorry. You were right.' Archie replied adrenaline still pumping around his system. He looked to her and felt worried for a moment, wondering if something within their growing friendship had broken because of what had happened.

'I'm glad you're ok.' _I can't lose you_ she added mentally and then swallowed hard so the words couldn't escape her lips. Archie tilted his head to look at her, she was playing with her hands and looking down, she seemed to have retreated somewhat. He looked at her for a long moment and wondered how he would have felt, had it been her down the mine. Worried he'd never see her again more than worried he would be terrified.

Marco looked between the two of them and smiled inwardly, it was nice to see Archie look so happy all the time. It was nice to see his friend feeling good about himself. Marco smiled at how wonderful they were together and yet neither of them seemed to realise what was staring them in the face.

'Thank you.' Regina said suddenly from the side of them and Rory looked up at him for a moment.

'I'll see you later.' She said wanting to reach out and touch his hand but resisting.

* * *

Archie had just gotten in and made himself a rather strong coffee, he was planning on going getting a shower and then getting in bed and sleeping for as long as he could. The experience in the mine had shaken him of course it had but his small victory over Regina and the right to do what he thought was best for Henry had almost won out over any post-traumatic stress he could have had.

As he made to sit down there was a knock at the door and Pongo suddenly jumped up barking at the front door and wagging his tail happily, Archie groaned a little. He wasn't really in the mood for visitors he ached all over and was still filthy. He opened the door slowly more than ready to turn whoever was behind it away.

Rory was stood there. He couldn't turn her away. She smiled at him and held up the brown paper bag in her hand and wiggled a DVD at him; Singing in the Rain.

'I thought you might nee-.' She paused blushing a little and feeling silly 'Sorry this was a stupid idea.' She watched him.

'No, no, come in.' He opened the door wider and Pongo sniffed her excitedly.

'I just thought after today you might need, cheering up.' He watched a concerned and somewhat curious expression cross her face as though she was wondering if that was the right word. 'I have all the basic essentials; favourite film, popcorn, ice cream, chocolate, alcohol.' She smiled at him.

'You should clean that up you know.' She gestured to his head and he touched it lightly the blood was almost dry and a little sticky. He hadn't let the doctor take a look at him, he was almost certain he had no concussion.

'Well, I-I was just about to clean up.' Archie said. Pongo wagged his tail and sniffed happily at Rory's hands.

'Oh, I didn't even think, sorry I'll leave you to it, just make sure you put the ice cream in the freezer.' She picked up her bag she'd put down on the table and made to leave.

'No. Stay, please. I could use some human conversation.' He let out a small chuckle.

'If you're sure.' Rory replied.

'Yes, yes I am.' Archie replied confidently and he took her bag off her and then made to take her coat and scarf. 'I'll just go and clean up, make yourself at home.' Archie beamed at her. Rory nodded and turned her attention to the things she'd brought with her and Pongo as Archie disappeared upstairs for a shower.

Rory shut her eyes and couldn't supress the smile on her face, feeling unbelievably happy but not being able to pinpoint why. Rory looked around the kitchen and the living room she'd been in here twice before and roughly remembered where things were.

When Archie was showered and dressed again he headed back downstairs and could hear her talking to Pongo. He smiled.

'I know boy, he scared me too. I don't know what I'd do without him either.' He heard Pongo whine appreciatively and then she spoke again. 'Now which do you think he'd prefer, Chunky Monkey or Half baked.' Pongo barked loudly. 'Half Baked it is then.

Archie was unable to supress the smile as he entered the living room and made his way to the kitchen, he watched her flitting about for a moment and thought about how perfect she looked in his kitchen and a thought entered his head, almost a half daydream. He watched himself go over and slip his hands around her waist as she made whatever it was she was making.

Archie pulled himself from the thought and blushed as a sudden realisation hit him. He was now very aware of how much he actually liked Rory, how happy he felt when he was around her. How much he enjoyed making her smile even at his own expense. Now the film viewing took on a whole different meaning because now Archie was hyper aware of how close their hands were at certain moments, he was well aware of how close she was to him when she patched up the cut on his head. She didn't feel it though, she couldn't. He was Archie and well he was sure there were better specimens in the town.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	11. 11: FW: The Key To A Heaven Is Mine

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

**_Just want to give a bit of warning there's some what could be deemed as 'mild sexual content.' in this chapter...  
_**

* * *

Aurora was lying in bed thoughts wandering to Jiminy every few seconds. He loved her, he really loved her. She couldn't believe it and supressing her happiness in front of her Aunts had been a difficult task. She felt her heart was going to burst from her chest at any moment.

It had been hard enough to get through dinner with them, she wanted to tell them but she knew how they would react, especially considering Jiminy's family standing and the job he had. They'd hear about his parents or possibly even know about him and go into full blown protective overdrive. Completely disregarding Aurora's feelings as silly mindedness.

Jiminy had walked her almost, all the way to the cottage. He had been expecting it to be smaller but it was actually a little more roomy than expected. An upper floor that more resembled a turret on a castle had been added where Aurora's room was. The cottage was tucked away in a corner of the forest surrounded by the trees and woodland.

Aurora heard the thump and wondered what it was at first before realising it was coming from the closed wooden shutters on her window. She opened them slowly expecting to find a bird or some other creature foraging around instead what she found made her heart a little giddy.

'Jiminy what are you doing here?' She asked as he dropped the stones in his hands and wiped them off on his waistcoat he had scaled the tree that was closest to her window and was throwing stones at it gently. Hoping she'd wake up, or rather was still awake.

'I-I- well I had to see you.' He whispered he'd felt a lot braver on the way overhear now faced with her he felt a little sheepish again, he hoped she wouldn't misread his intentions because they were entirely honourable. She beamed at him and gestured him forward.

'I can't believe you're here.' She let out a small giggle and tuned away from him a little sheepish. Her hair looked a little fluffy in the moonlight where it had clearly been combed out and she was dressed in her night dress which made him blush a little.

'I didn't, I didn't realise you'd be in bed.' Jiminy said, he hadn't in all honesty made himself aware of the time because he'd been wandering around the forest. Perdy followed him around, after he had reluctantly let Aurora go back to the cottage. His fingers had struggled to disentwine themselves from hers because he didn't want to let her go. 'I'll go. It was a little foolish of me to come here anyway.' He said turning away from her.

Aurora put an arm around his neck and stood up on her tiptoes pulling him into a kiss. 'I'm glad you came.' She smiled at him and kissed him again.

'You should stay the night.' She said suddenly feeling brave, her cheeks flushed in the moonlight and he didn't think she'd ever looked more beautiful.

'O-oh, Aurora, that's not why I came here, I mea-' She kissed him again to stop him talking.

'I want you to stay.' She said.

'What, what about your aunts?' he asked her a little nervously.

'I have a lock.' She said stepping away from him.

'That is some lock.' Jiminy said as she gestured to the huge wooden block that could be put into the holders on the door.

'They had it installed so that if we get raided I'm protected.' She supressed the smirk on her face and the urge to say and probably keep odd men out too, 'I think you should stay. Will you put it across I might end up dropping it.' She smiled and he looked at her for a moment, how could he refuse her anything?

The beam was heavy but he managed to put it across relatively quietly and when he turned around he let out a small gasp, shocked and feeling a little uncomfortable his cheeks flushed red furiously and he adjusted his glasses.

Aurora, feeling a lot braver then she thought she would have had completely stripped herself of her night dress and slipped under the blanket with it up under her shoulders.

'Oh, oh, Aurora, I think you should. I mean I didn't come here. I just wanted to see you, I mean not like that.' He stammered and stumbled over the words.

'Oh, I'm sorry I just.' She brought her knees up to her chest and put her head in them thoroughly embarrassed. Of course he wouldn't want to, not with her. Surely though if he loved her he was supposed to want to. She didn't know, she'd never done that before, she'd never been in love before. She was old enough to know and she'd had ample opportunity to lose her 'innocence' but it had never felt right.

Jiminy sat down on the bed close to her and put his hand to her cheek.

'I didn't come here for this, I came here because I wanted to see you, but not like this.' He said softly. He watched her curl in wards a little, trying to cover herself up even more than she already was. Suddenly she didn't seem brave, she seemed ashamed and embarrassed. Not nervous but self-conscious and he realised he'd upset her. He just wanted to assure her that he wasn't like that. He wasn't like the soldiers she'd met who boasted about their sexual prowess and seemed to go after girls simply for their virtue.

He'd turned her face to him and kissed her a little deeper then he'd intended. She shifted herself so it was a little easier then wrapped her arms around his neck. She pulled him down next to her on the bed.

'A-Aurora, I don't think.'

'Why not? I'm still going to love you tomorrow.' She kissed him again wrapping her hands around his neck. Jiminy closed his eyes slowly and when he opened them she was still looking at him. The same way she had been for the past fifteen minutes, a wanting in her eyes that was undeniable, innocence too. He put a hand on her waist over the sheet nothing more but she tried to move closer to him desperate for some sort of contact.

She breathed deeply eyes fluttering a little, back arching slightly when his fingers trailed over the soft skin of her spine. She bit her lip and held the blanket tight to her as he slipped away and undressed a little nervously, then returned to her under the blanket.

His fingers returned to laying traces up and down her side and she shivered a little at the contact. Coherent thought was becoming almost impossible with the way she had a hand tangled in his hair and the other on his chest but a single thought still managed to flit across his mind.

'Is this, I mean have you done this before?' He asked looking at her a little concerned. Aurora bit her lip blushed and looked away from him for a moment.

'We can wait you know.' He added cupping her face in his hand but Aurora didn't want to wait she wanted him, she wanted him now. She wanted to be as close to him as she could possibly be.

'I don't want to,' she replied. 'I love you.' She added kissing him deeply and a shiver ran through Jiminy's body and everything seemed to tighten and flush and he could feel everything all at once, love, want, need and happiness coursing through his very bones.

* * *

'Jiminy? Jiminy?' Jiminy's mother called.

'Doesn't look like he came back last night.' His father said.

'You don't think?' His mother asked worried.

'Runaway? No the boy isn't brave enough, he's not man enough.' His father replied.

'Jiminy!' His mother cried again.

'I can tell you where your son lies.' A cackly voice said from a short distance away.

'You? What would you know?' Jiminy's mother asked sceptically.

'Cross my palm with a little gold and I'll tell you all you need to know.' Replied the woman, she was hunched and withered with boils on her face and a black cloak surrounding her.

'It's not dawn yet, he probably just went for a walk.' Jiminy's father said despite his earlier statement, he wasn't about to fall victim to a con artist.

'You're wrong.' The old woman replied.

'What do you know?' Jiminy's mother asked her curiously. The prospect of losing their main source of income was a lot worse than the thought of losing her son. The old woman coughed and held out a hand. Jiminy's mother routed around in the top of her corset for a gold coin and placed it in the palm of the old woman.

'Your son has given his heart away, a princess in the woods who was destined for another.' She said simply.

'What do you mean?' Jiminy's mother asked, 'Nobody wants him, he's a coward not even that milk maid wanted him and she did the deed with him. After we paid her of course.' She smirked at Jiminy's father, it had been a cruel trick but it had brought her sons head out of the clouds a little at the time.

'Your son has found love in the arms of one who should be forbidden.' The witch replied.

'A princess you say?' Jiminy's father's eyes glinted wickedly at the thought of all that gold, one clean sweep they'd never have to do another show again, never have to waste their energies stealing again.

'Jiminy hasn't found a princess, you're a bigger con artist then we are.' Jiminy's mother scolded.

'She was taken, when she was younger to avoid the curse and wrath of a witch who wanted revenge on her parents. She was taken to live with three fairies until the kingdom and her prince were ready for her return. That time is fast approaching.' The hag replied.

'So what, that doesn't mean it's where our Jiminy is.' Jiminy's mother looked her up and down and scowled but Jiminy's father sat down opposite her.

'Your son will be changed when he returns, he will be a braver man, a man willing to stand up and be good and honest. He will do it for her, for twoo love.' The hag's lips curled around those last words and an evil smirk crossed her face as Jiminy's parents looked at one another in shock. Both recognising they had to put an end to this, they decided silently with a nod that it was time to leave, as soon as he came back, after the show today, they would leave. Move onto the next pasture as far away from this 'princess.' As they could get.

* * *

'Aurora.' Jiminy whispered kissing her bare shoulder softly, it was almost dawn and he had to leave. Not only would his parents be noticing his absence but he didn't think Aurora's aunts would be too welcoming of him, especially if they sprung this on them so early. He was going to leave earlier but he couldn't bring himself too and he let the time slip away as he watched her sleeping wondering exactly what he had done to deserve this.

'Aurora.' He said again softly kissing the crook of her neck. 'Come on ma belle au bois dormant.' He said shaking her softly and trying to rouse her. 'I have to go.'

'No,' Aurora mumbled and pulled his arm tighter around her. 'What does that mean?' she mumbled sleepily.

'My sleeping beauty.' He whispered to her. She could feel the smile as he kissed her neck again.

'Really?' she asked him.

'Really,' he replied kissing in between her shoulder blades and making her shiver a little.

'I-I have to go.' He said again and she turned to face him this time, head resting on her hand.

'I wish you'd stop saying that.' She chided and leaned in to kiss him.

'It's almost dawn.' He said and that made her jump up, suddenly.

'Oh my god, if they catch you in here!' Aurora said a little panicky.

'I-I know, I know.' He said pulling on his clothes quickly. Aurora stood at the door listening to see if her aunts were up yet and she heard the door click downstairs.

'Aurora?' Fawna was knocking on the door loudly and she tried it but it wouldn't open.

'Go, quick, go.' Aurora said smiling at Jiminy as he made his way towards the window. 'I'll meet you later, our spot.' She kissed him deeply when he was half way out of the window.

'Aurora, are you ok in there? Why won't this door open! AURORA.' Her aunt shouted from the other side of the door.

'Just a minute.' Aurora called back towards the door. She kissed him deeply, firm and lingering it sent a fire into the pit of his belly and he pulled her closer not wanting to let go. He broke it putting his forehead to hers and breathing deeply.

'I-I love you.' Jiminy said.

'I love you to.' She replied biting down on her lip.

'Til midday.' He smiled and kissed her again.

'AURORA! OPEN THIS DOOR!' Fawna shouted loudly.

'Go, go.' Aurora smiled and kissed him one last time before moving away from him and grinning like the cat who'd got the cream. Her heart was ready to burst out of her chest and she waved out of the window to him before throwing the sheet down and pulling on her night dress. She heaved the wooden beam off the door. Her aunt burst through knocking her to the floor.

'What exactly is going on in here?' She asked a little fiercely.

'I, I just put the bolt across last night, I was a little frightened.' Aurora replied.

'What is there to be frightened of?' Merryweather asked her softly.

'Someone else has been in here!' Fawna said watching her closely. 'You've had a boy in here.' She growled.

'No, no I haven't. I came in and went to sleep last night.' Aurora replied.

'You've had a boy in here child do not lie to me! That is why you've been spending so much time in the forest!' Fawna growled at her.

'I've not had a boy in here.' Aurora replied sternly. _The man I love yes, s_he added mentally.

'This is what happens when we let her roam the forest alone!' Fawna snapped at the other two.

'Even if something did happen I am old enough to fall in love.' Aurora blurted out. Fawna slapped her hard across the face.

'I'm sending word to the Kings castle. We will advance the date of the move.' Fawna said.

'Fawna, we can't do that, if she has found another than mayb-.' Rose said softly.

'She is destined for the prince.' Fawna cut her off, 'You my girl are going to meet your destiny. I suggest you start packing your things.' Fawna replied.

'i-I don't understand.' Aurora said. 'Move? Prince? What are you talking about?' Her heart was pounding at the words, she was confused but panic was rising in her chest.

'You'll find out soon enough, in the meantime I forbid you from going into the forest.' With that her aunt swept out of the room. The lock clicked from the outside and she watched in horror as the beam fell of its own accord. Aurora ran towards it and tried in vain to open it shouting protests but the door wouldn't budge. She panicked and threw herself onto her bed for a moment tears streaming down her face before she realised there was still one escape, she could get away. The same way Jiminy had gotten in last night.

* * *

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	12. 12:RW:And I've Fallen By The Wayside Now

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I decided to write a Jiminy/Archie x OC fic becuse I don't really ship him with anyone on the show yet and I don't think he gets enough love. Please enjoy and if you do enjoy please review =) Also I'm only on episode 5 because I'm watching it in the uk =)  
_**

**_It will switch between the real world and the fairytale world too =) Which I'll mark on the chapters with FTW and RW - Fairytale World and Real World =)  
_**

* * *

'Archie, I've tried everything ok?' Rory sighed. 'I just don't sleep very well I never have.'

'Did you even try the sleeping tablets?' Archie asked her as they walked Pongo through the woods.

'Yes.' Rory rolled her eyes at him, after everything with the mine their relationship had resumed its pace, they had grown closer and it felt odd for both of them when they didn't speak to the other for more than a day. Archie would often meet her after work with Pongo and they'd go for a short walk. The conversation never seemed to tire which he was pleased about.

'They didn't work, just like I told you they wouldn't.' Rory said. 'I appreciate you trying to help, I really do but in all honesty it doesn't bother me that much.' She stifled a yawn as she said it and a small smile crossed her face as Archie raised his eyebrows at her.

'You tried exercise?' He asked her.

'I tried the exercise, the reading, the 'relaxing', which by the way only made me more annoyed. I tried the pills and the drink and all that other crap you recommended.' Rory sighed, her sleeping pattern had improved a little, she found after she'd been for a walk with Archie and Pongo she usually got an extra hour or two of unbroken sleep but the rest of the time it was the same as ever. Barely anything all night, and even when she did fall asleep it was broken. Apparently this worried Archie a lot more than it did her which she found sweet.

Rory had become an active member of the Storybrooke community even venturing to a 'girls night out' with Emma and Mary Margaret, (which led to a somewhat drunken encounter with Archie where she told him how nice a man he was, the fact he was her best friend and also how much she loved Pongo before Mary and Emma had dragged her away.) Mary had also gotten her a job at the school, getting her out of the costume shop.

Life had improved a lot. The only problematic thing about this new found freedom and new found friendship was that Archie had fallen head over heels in love with Rory. He tried to deny it for as long as possible, but there came a point when he had been sat in his office and she'd cancelled plans that he had to admit the sinking feeling in his chest was most definitely more than simply caring for a friend. He thought about telling her on several occasions but he was too much of a coward and often talked himself out of it. He'd rather face Regina and Mr Gold at the same time than tell her. He knew it was the rejection he feared, rejection and the fact this might ruin their friendship.

Archie hadn't noticed the way she looked at him, the way she made excuses to try and see him, to help him. He hadn't noticed how she dressed up a little more for him. How she wore her hair a certain way after he'd mentioned it looked nice. How she wore a certain jumper because he'd said it had looked nice.

Marco found it amusing, Archie talked about Rory a lot but he'd never admitted to his friend that he was in love with her, not that he needed to. Marco had never really broached the subject because he'd rather let Archie bring it up. Instead he let him talk and talk and then slipped little things into the conversation that he should do or that he'd noticed.

'She is a lot brighter around you Arch,' he'd say, 'Faline is so grateful that she's finally happy.' He'd add. Things that made Archie beam. That gave him a feeling that seemed to bubble inside and create elation and joy, allowing him to stick his chest out a little more and stand a little taller.

'M-maybe we should change tac.' Archie suggested as they stopped near the toll bridge to throw a stick for Pongo.

'Or maybe you could just give up.' Rory sighed and smiled.

'Never.' Archie replied nudging her gently. He watched her praise Pongo take the stick from him and throw it again.

* * *

'Well hello there my dear.' Mr Gold said suddenly as Rory examined bits and pieces in the shop.

'Oh, erm, hi, sorry. I'm just looking.' She stammered a little. Rory was still a little nervous around those she didn't know, worried about how they might view her. Mr Gold was very intimidating at the best of times though so she had every right to be a little nervous.

'Looking for anything in particular?' He asked moving around the counter and closer to her.

'I'm just looking for a friend, it's stupid really, he just he's helped me. I don't even know what I'm looking for.' She rubbed the back of her neck a little nervously and Mr Gold took note of it.

'This friend, it wouldn't happen to be our good Doctor Hopper by any chance would it?' Mr Gold smiled and it made Rory feel a little uncomfortable as he moved closer to the casing she was stood at. She blushed furiously and Mr Gold thoroughly enjoyed the uncomfortable and somewhat embarrassed look on her face.

'Yes, well, I just wanted to get him something, for helping me.' Rory stammered a little. For such a small man his presence was still intimidating. There was something about him that just told Rory's whole body to leave the shop now.

'It is nice to see you out and about my dear.' Gold said and he moved a little closer again that was a little creepy, he nudged Rory out of the way to unlock the cabinet she was stood in front of though. Gold was thoroughly enjoying how uncomfortable the girl was in the shop and in his presence.

'Well, I, erm, thank you.' Rory said a little confused. Gold was wondering how much more uncomfortable he could make her a part of him was smiling a little sadistically.

'How about, these lovely figurines? Not a bad price for them either.' He gestured to two wooden puppets, Rory's eyes flitted over them and she shivered a little, they looked shoddily made a little creepy if she was honest. One of them was open mouthed and looked a little like they were screaming.

'N-no I don't think that's quite what I'm looking for.' Rory's face creased up a little trying not to offend the shop owner.

'How about this?' He said pressing something cold into her hands and letting them linger their longer than necessary. Rory looked down to find a pocket watch. Suddenly the shop door opened and Rory jumped, she moved away from Mr Gold feeling embarrassed.

'Oh, I, Sorry, I-I-I didn't mean to interrupt. I was just bringing the rent.' Archie said. His face a mixture of repulsion and shock, Rory looked at him confused and then realised how it must have looked when he had first come into the shop.

'I was just telling your friend here Dr Hopper, how nice it is to see her, a little more awake.' Mr Gold smirked at his own choice of words.

'Yes, well,' Archie wouldn't meet their eyes and put an envelope on the side before leaving. Rory looked at him curiously surely he didn't think that anything was going on. The angle they'd been stood at though it might have seemed like they were closer than they were and his hands had been on hers. Rory didn't make a noise but she groaned in her head. Not that it would matter to Archie if she were having relations with someone else, they were just friends after all. Rory couldn't stand the thought of him thinking that though. For her no one else in town even stood up to Archie. She liked everything about him, the way he stammered on some of his words, the way his hair looked when he'd over combed it and it was too fluffy. The way he shifted his glasses and how he much he smiled when he was nervous. How much he cared about the town, more importantly about the people in the town.

Archie's heart had dropped into his stomach, how could she and with Mr Gold. She was a free agent though he had to remind himself of that. It might not have been what he thought, but he had been holding her hand hadn't he and he had been quite close to her. Archie sighed deeply, hurt. It hurt a lot, he knew keeping her so close was dangerous because he knew when she did eventually find someone it was going to hurt like hell. He couldn't help it though, he felt broken inside. He still turned when she came out of the shop calling after him.

'I just wondered if we're still getting lunch?' She smiled at him. They had been meaning to meet at lunch and that's when she was going to give him whatever she ended up buying.

'Oh, n-no I can't, I have paperwork.' He said barely making eye contact with her.

'Ok, are you alright?' She asked noting his tone and the sad look on his face.

'What, oh, yes. I have to go.' He replied and turned walking away from her without even waiting for a response. Rory watched after him a little curiously, a feeling crept across her chest like a cold hand was beginning to grip her heart.

Archie didn't meet her for lunch, or after work. She didn't even see him the next day and she was hurting, he'd given her legitimate excuses each time but she couldn't help feeling there was something behind it. What a difference a day made, she found it was harder for her to smile and she did scold herself for over reacting but it didn't stop the heavy weight that had appeared over her chest again. A feeling, that were she to present it on film would have resembled a stone sinking slowly to the bottom of a pool.

'Archie, finally!' She breathed when he answered the phone at the office. 'What time are you walking Pongo tonight I wouldn't want to miss it.' She said cheerily.

'Oh, well, with the weather, I- I-I was just going to.' Archie stopped and sighed.

'Oh, ok.' Rory replied swallowing hard down the other end of the phone, even now a cloud of fog seemed to be sitting between them. 'Archie have I done something to upset you?'

'No, n-'

'You've been funny with me ever since the other day.' Rory blurted out.

'No, I've, I've just been busy. Besides what you get up to in your own time is none of my business.' He replied, tone low and cold. Rory wondered if he was stressed about something, his tone still hurt a little though.

'Ok then. I'll see you around.' Rory replied and put the phone down. Archie knew he'd been a little harder than necessary and he knew it was because he wanted to push her away because he couldn't face dealing with how he felt about her and confronting the reality that she might not feel the same. Apparently Rory wasn't going to give up easily though and he hadn't realised how drastic an action he would take until she appeared in his office. He couldn't face the thought of Gold having her, of Gold's hands around her waist or that wicked man planting kisses on her lips. He shuddered a little.

'Hey,' She smiled opening the door and letting herself in. 'I got you a present,' she said before he could stop her, 'you sounded stressed yesterday on the phone sooo… I got us two tickets to Ghostbuters. They're doing a whole 'nostalgia' thing at the movie theatre so I thought why not.'

She placed the tickets on the side feeling thoroughly pleased with herself and Archie groaned a little, why was she being so nice to him. He'd been horrible the past few days and she was worried about him being stressed?

'Rory, I-I don't think considering the nature of your relationships this would be appropriate.' Archie said. 'I-I think perhaps you should ask someone else.' Rory's face fell and she felt confused and upset, he had been avoiding her.

'What do you mean appropriate? Archie you're my friend. I'm pretty sure it says in the handbook you're supposed to come to these things with me.' She attempted a smile but he simply looked at her and then stood up pacing.

'Which handbook is that exactly, the therapist's one?' Archie replied a little harshly.

'No, I mean the 'friend' handbook, it was a joke. Are you ok?' Rory was now more than a little confused. 'Look if you really want to go and see something else we can, I would have got tickets for Singin-'

'This is not about the tickets.'

'Then what, you've been avoiding me for days. Is this because I was in Mr Gold's shop? Because I know half the town hates him but I was ju-' Archie cut her off again.

'It has nothing to do with that.' It did though it had everything to do with that. 'This is about you using me an-and me being stupid enough to let you.' Archie replied. The words had tumbled out of his mouth before he'd even thought about it. Rory watched him shock and disgust etched on her face not entirely sure what she'd heard.

'Archie, you're not making any sense. How could I possibly use you, you're my friend.' Rory replied.

'O-Oh I think you know.' Archie replied not meeting her eyes.

'No I don't, I-I don't understand how I could use you, I mean it's not like I need a psychiatrist.' She let out a small laugh and Archie thrust his hands deeper into his pockets, she was giving him more ammunition.

'Not anymore.' He replied he felt almost as bad, if not worse than he had with Henry. When he'd try to crush Henry's sprit it had killed him and somehow this seemed worse. He knew. He knew he should just let her go. He should suck it up and be the friend he was supposed to be but Archie didn't feel he was brave enough.

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' She asked him again a nervous smile crossed her face but inside she was falling to pieces. Confusion and panic had settled itself nicely in her chest and her heart was racing with fear.

'O-Oh I think you know exactly what it means.' Archie replied and he paused for a moment. 'When I first met you, you needed help, you told me so. Now you've had your help.' He said coldly.

'You can't be serious. I have never needed a psychiatrist and I still don't.' She replied in annoyance, face flushed and hands balled into fists how could he even think that of her?

'That's not what your medical records say.' That was most definitely a step too far. He knew it was a step too far, as soon as the last word left his lips. Rory looked like he'd slapped her across the face and she recoiled a little, eyes pricking and glossing over a little. She made to say something several times and stopped. She was shocked and couldn't think of a response as her brain turned the words over.

'Wow,' she said suddenly shock still etched on her face. He expected to hear the door slamming but she was still there, still fighting for their friendship. 'I don't, I don't understand where this is coming from? Have I really done something that badly to offend you? Is this because I helped Mr Glass out with his coat the other day, because he brought that into the shop?' She asked trying to search her mind for what she had done that had made him think so bad of her.

'No and w-what you do on your own time is, well it's none of my business.' Archie replied and that hurt, that hurt a lot. Not just the way he said it but the way he was looking at her too. Like he really didn't care not at all, n_one of my business._ Like they weren't even friends, like they weren't even close friends. That was like a stab to the heart. It felt horrible. it felt like he'd pulled her heart out of her chest and stomped on it.

* * *

'Sheriff Swan please?' Rose pleaded.

'Rose, Rory probably just went out and got a little crazy, she's not exactly been a little mouse lately.' Emma replied raising her eyebrows.

'Something is wrong I can feel it, the last time she went missing, I mean.' Rose replied and her voice cracked a little. Rory had been subdued for the last two days, she hadn't been out of the house or to work or for a walk with Archie and Pongo. She'd just stayed in her room, barely saying a word. Rose had known something was wrong after she'd come home trying to hide tears. She thought it was something silly but she'd heard her crying again. She'd heard her sneaking out at 1 in the morning when she thought they were all sleeping. Now she was missing. Something didn't sit right with her.

'Rose, how long has she been missing?' Emma sighed. It was raining out and she didn't have an umbrella or the time. She was supposed to be meeting Henry and she was sure that Rose was panicking about Rory for no reason, especially considering how over protective Emma had seen them be of their niece.

'I'm not sure. I mean I haven't seen her properly in a few days.' Rose replied.

'So it could be less than 24 hours?' Emma asked.

'Yes, but Sheriff I don't think you understand.' Rose began again and then sighed watching the Sheriff check her watch and look around, she was in a hurry and now the older woman felt silly. 'Sorry I'm over reacting, I'll wait a while.'

'Rose, it's fine honestly. Look if she's not back after school hours then call me up ok?' Emma replied and rubbed her arm gently.

'Doctor Hopper, I don't suppose you've seen Rory today?' Rose asked Archie as he passed them with Pongo, umbrella in hand, she let Emma walk on as she spoke to the Doctor.

'No sorry.' Archie replied feeling a little guilty as he looked at the older woman's worried expression. 'Something wrong?' the words were out of his mouth before he could stop them and he cursed his good nature.

'Oh no, I'm just being an old fusspot. She doesn't seem to have been herself lately, or rather she's gone back to her old self and I haven't seen much of her. I'm just being old and foolish.' Rose replied with a weak smile, thanked him and went on her way.

Archie swallowed slowly feeling guilty. She'd retreated, of course she'd retreated. He felt mad at himself, he'd sworn to himself after the mine incident that he would always try to do his best and he hadn't this time. He'd been selfish, he couldn't simply put aside a few misplaced feelings for the sake of his friend and now he might have done more damage than good.

He knew exactly why Rose was so worried and she had every right to be. The last time Rory had gone missing she had been found in the woods a day later. Apparently having wandered around the woods for two days she had then tried and failed to kill herself. He remembered the search dogs going crazy although he was never a part of the search and rescue team himself. Faline had tried to get him to talk to her though but Rory had been adamant she didn't need a psychiatrist and that had been that. He had gone back to his day to day life. Rose had every right to be worried and now Archie was a little worried but he somewhat ignored the voice of reason in his head. This was for the best he told himself.

Archie didn't know what he was doing when he detoured off the road and down towards the toll bridge. He supposed he was hoping Rory might have gone down there and that he could apologise to her. The rain was coming down a little harder then he'd first thought it would and Pongo was already wet through. Suddenly Pongo started barking loudly at the toll bridge and shock, pain and confusion suddenly flitted across Archie's heart as he watched a figure stood on the outer edge of the bridge slip a little at the surprise.

* * *

_**In honour of tonights finale I give you a little cliffhanger... =)  
**_

_**A/N: Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	13. 13:RW: The Rainy Roads Of Our Old Town

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

* * *

'Oh no, RORY! W-wh-what are you doing!' Archie cried darting over to the bridge.

'Go away Archie.' Rory said calmly and quietly.

'This isn't going to solve anything.' Archie replied. She was stood on the edge of the bridge holding on, the fall might not kill her but if she hit the shallow water below at the right angle it could do some serious damage.

'Go away.' Rory replied.

'R-Rory, come back over here and we can talk about this.' Archie pleaded, he couldn't understand what had gotten into her. He couldn't understand why she was taking such drastic measures and right now wasn't the time to start trying too. Right now all he had to do was focus on making sure she didn't jump.

'I don't need to talk about it I need it to stop.' Rory replied. The rain was hammering down around them and the sound of it hitting the leaves on the trees could have been quite soothing had the situation been different.

'Need what to stop?' Archie asked pressing himself as close to the rail as he could get, he was going to reach out and grab for her but he knew better. He knew that if he made any sudden movements she could simply let go and he'd rather not be phoning an ambulance for her. His heart was hammering in his chest and he just wanted her safe and sound on the other side. If seeing her with Gold had hurt this hurt a lot more. If she was with someone else at least she was still around.

'Rory, whatever it is you don't need to do this.' Archie pleaded.

'It's the only way to make it stop.' Rory said closing her eyes, her heart was racing and she was so sure she was ready for this but something was stopping her. She'd come out here because no one would see it. They wouldn't see her jump, they wouldn't see her fall. She imagined her head hitting the rocks and even if she survived that, hopefully unconscious, she'd drown. She couldn't take it. She couldn't take feeling like a weight was in her chest all the time. She couldn't go back to the numbness of before but she couldn't take feeling so alone. She'd realised it was the only way and she'd sat against the door in her bedroom. If she really wanted to be free this was what she had to do and then a cool calmness had seemed to settle over her, like someone was pouring liquid over her head, the feeling spread out to her fingertips. She could be free if she just had the courage and now she did. Nobody would mind and she'd no longer be a burden to her aunts.

'Rory, RORY listen to me just come back over!' Archie said as she adjusted her grip on the railing again her fingers slipping in the rain. 'W-we can talk about this, about whatever's bothering you.'

'I don't want to talk. I just want it to stop. I don't want to feel like this anymore.' Rory replied her voice breaking yet she was so calm.

'Rory, please.' Archie sighed, eyes shut a tears rolled down his face and he regretted his actions over the past few days and wondered if he'd been a catalyst to this.

'No, Archie please just go. Just walk on by and then I can carry on.' Rory replied, he couldn't understand how she could be so calm and collected. Everything about her was screaming that she was happy and yet her fingers were still clinging onto the railing and she wouldn't just let herself slip.

'You know I can't do that!' He shouted at her.

'Yes you can, this is the only way to make it stop.' Rory replied.

'Rory, Rory please, come back over and we can talk about this.' Archie pleaded.

'I don't need or want a psychiatrist, so don't feel you have a duty.' Rory replied. Archie felt guilty, he wondered if what he'd said had been swimming around her mind, because they were now swimming around his. He hadn't predicted the effect it would have on her though, how could he.

'Rory, please?' Archie pleaded but Rory shook her head and Pongo began to bark in the rain as Archie moved closer to her he knew if he could just get an arm under her arm he'd be able to pull her over if he moved quickly. Rory took a hand off the rail, Archie panicked she was about to throw herself off the edge and he grabbed her arm. 'Rory please.' He said again. She didn't even look at him as she made to move and he grabbed onto her quickly.

'I can't let you do that!' He cried, Rory wasn't exactly the heaviest of people, had this been David or Granny he doubted very much he'd be able to help her, yet he wasn't strong enough to pull her over on her own. The rain was making everything so much more difficult than it should have been.

'HELP!' Archie called out into the woods. A car suddenly appeared in the distance crossing the bridge and Archie cried out louder again. The car seemed to have spotted them and skidded to a halt beside them and David jumped out. He was supposed to be meeting Mary Margaret here in a short while.

'Help me!' Archie called to him.

'Let me go.' Rory said calmly and she tried to go limp so Archie would let go but he didn't and then another set of arms were around her shoulders and they pulled her over the side of the rails.

'Thank you!' Archie breathed patting David on the shoulder.

'What's the hell is going on?' David asked him as Rory slumped against the railings sitting on the wet floor. Pongo sat down next to her nuzzling her hand with his nose in an effort to make her move, make her smile. She ignored him and said nothing, expression stony like she had broken.

'I-I I'm not quite sure, yet.' He said and David recognised the pain and panic in his eyes because if that had been Mary Margaret he would have had the same look.

'You want me to drive you to the hospital?' David asked him. Archie thought about it for a moment, there was a possibility she'd be sectioned, put away for a while. He didn't want that, he didn't want strangers poking and prodding her, it had been partly his fault or so he thought.

'Rory, come on we'll take you to the hospital?' David said crouching down in front of her as Archie ran a hand over his head. Pacing a little as relief and worry washed through his system at the same time. Rory shook her head at David barely looking up. 'Come on, I really think we should get you to a hospital.' David said again and she shook her head in response.

'I just wanted it to stop.' She said slowly, softly like every word was an effort.

'What about your house doc? It's pretty close right?' David asked him. Archie paced a little more and Pongo let out a low whine, Rory shivered and David looked from her to Archie.

'Are you sure you don't want to just take her to the hospital doc?' David asked, watching Archie curiously.

'No, I don't think they'll help. She-she's already feeling isolated, the hospital could make her worse, she needs to be somewhere she can feel safe, feel at home.' Archie replied.

'Ok.' David replied. 'Then where do you want to take her? You gotta make your mind up!' David cried he was almost soaked and was pretty sure if they stayed out here much longer Rory may as well have thrown herself into the river and taken them with her.

'Can you take us back to my house? I'll call her aunts from there.' Archie replied. David saluted him and then he helped Rory off the floor as Archie held the door open. She was so compliant, like she wasn't really there at all, almost like she'd taken some sort of drug and they both wondered if her mind had actually broken.

* * *

They managed to get Rory back to Archie's where they helped her out of some of her wetter things, when she was in her relatively dry vest top Archie brought down some old pyjamas for her to wear. David told Archie he shouldn't blame himself, that he'd done a brilliant job and she might have been dead if it wasn't for him but Archie couldn't help feeling guilty wondering if this was all his fault in the first place.

Rory had fallen asleep by the time Emma came over with Rose. Archie recommended that they let her sleep and he'd see her home safely when she woke up. He offered Rose a bed but she refused, smiling at him and telling him she trusted him of all people with her niece's life. It had been him after all to bring her out of her shell and make her happier than Rose had ever seen her. The guilt was piling up as he heard Rose muttering to Emma that she didn't understand what had happened.

Archie watched her intently, Pongo was curled up on the rug by the fire and he'd thrown a blanket over Rory when she'd shivered several times. She was asleep on the couch, head resting against the back cushions and her knees drawn up to her chest. Archie turned everything over in his mind, the way he'd accused her of using him, every mean thing he'd said to push her away. He knew he wasn't the only person to blame, he knew there was more to it than just him but it didn't ease the guilt. It didn't ease the pain he felt as he watched her.

He honestly didn't know what he'd do if she wasn't around, the past few days had been miserable. No one was as happy to see him. No one enjoyed his rambling about mindless things like she did. No one just listened to him, well apart from Marco but Marco didn't have the same effect on him.

It was about two o'clock in the morning when she stirred. Archie wasn't asleep, he couldn't. Something heavy was set over his heart and he was trying to unpick exactly what it was and failing.

'You should have let me fall.' She mumbled sleepily.

'O-oh I don't think that would have been good for anyone.' He replied.

'It would have been better for everyone.' She mumbled eyes barely opening.

'Not quite.' Archie said softly into the dimly lit room, he took another drink from the glass in his hand.

'I could, I could just go back out there you know. Make sure… I do the job… properly.' She paused several times words barely falling out of her mouth.

'Then, I'm afraid I would, well I would have to come and get you.' Archie replied, eyes sparkling behind his glasses in the fire light.

'Why?' Rory replied and it was barely a whisper. Archie watched her for a moment. He looked down at the glass in his hand for a moment.

'Be-because, I don't want to be without you and I'm afraid, w-well I'm afraid I'm in love with you.' Archie said softly. Rory had fallen back to sleep though, as she nestled closer into the thick cushions of the couch he found himself wishing it was him instead of those cushions. Archie took his glasses off and rubbed the bridge of his nose between his thumb and his finger, he rubbed his forehead and Pongo trotted over to him and placed his head on his lap looking up at him. He sighed deeply and looked down at his furry friend letting out a small laugh. He put his drink down on the side and stroked Pongo's head therapeutically letting his thoughts runaway with him a little. He knew the courage to tell her again would be gone tomorrow and he knew his heart would sink a little. He didn't know how she was going to act around him and wondered if their friendship could ever be the same.

Thoughts raced around his head for an hour or two more before he finally fell asleep in the armchair.

* * *

Rory woke up in the morning and her head was fuzzy, her neck ached a little from the angle she'd been slept at and she realised she wasn't at home before the blurred events of the previous day flooded her mind. She felt a little fuzzy, a little numb still and yet at the same time she felt the clouds had cleared a little and wondered if it was because of how much sleep she'd had, she could barely remember what had possessed her to try and jump in the first place. She knew that desperate feeling had set in, and then she hadn't slept for two/three nights in a row and then having almost a revelation about how to escape the voices in her head and the pain in her chest.

She sat up a little and realised she wasn't in her own clothes, she was in someone else's pyjamas. She recognised the house and the fire, the armchairs and she smiled a little. She wandered into the kitchen to get herself something to eat and found Archie leaning against the kitchen counter a mug of coffee in his hands. He startled a little when he saw her.

'What time is it?' She asked him rubbing her head and running a hand through messy tangled hair. Archie liked the way he did that and smiled at her.

'9:30.' Archie replied. 'Y-y'know for a girl who doesn't sleep you certainly slept for a while last night.'

'How long was I out?' Rory asked him cheerily and he liked the casual way she poured herself coffee from the maker on the side, the fact she knew where everything in his kitchen was made him smile.

'About 12 hours, give or take.' Archie replied swallowing down some more coffee, they were silent for a moment and a cloud seemed to be hanging in the air. Archie didn't know how to broach talking about what had happened yesterday. Rory swigged from her coffee and looked out into the yard where Pongo was running around happily. She looked over at him for a moment feeling guilty.

'It's not your fault you know,' Rory said slowly, 'I mean not that I think you're blaming yourself but I'm just saying. It wasn't.'

'Then what was it?' Archie asked putting his cup on the side and moving to the opposite side of the island in the kitchen watching her closely.

'Nuh-uh,' Rory shook her head at him, 'don't start trying to psychoanalyse me. I don't need a psychiatrist Archie I told you that.' She looked up at him for a moment and he shook his head resting his elbows on the island. Rory watched him and suddenly felt a surge of happiness. She blushed a little and her brow furrowed in curiosity. She hadn't thought it could actually be him that was making her happy before, she had simply assumed it was because she finally had someone to talk to, she finally had friends. Now she was rethinking her whole reaction to how harsh he had been.

'W-well I'm asking as friend, not as a psychiatrist.' Archie replied shooting her a smile.

'Oh, so I can have that now.' Rory replied, eyebrows raised. She watched Archie take a breath in, a little ashamed of himself.

'R-Rory you will never, know, how s-sorry I am that I said those things. I was stupid and I-I-I well I…' It was there on the tip of his tongue all he had to do was let it roll off. He was looking right into her eyes, he could do this. He could say it.

'You were an ass.' Rory finished and the moment was lost, his bravery faltered him. 'I just figured you were stressed, it hurt, it hurt a lot and you've still got a lot of making up to do. Don't think saving me is all you have to do!' She added shooting him a playful smirk that made him tingle inside.

'I-I think I have the perfect thing.' Archie smiled at her and went to fetch the two tickets that Rory had left in his office the days before. There would be another time, he would make another time and next time his bravery wouldn't falter him and she wouldn't fall asleep.

* * *

_**A/N: **__**Ok so question dear readers! I listen to a fair bit of music while I'm writing this (well more so when I'm coming up with idea's) so I sort of have a playlist in mind for it. I think you'd call it a fanmix... anyone be interested in seeing that?  
**_

_**Also I know that the build up to Rory and Archie is slow but I figured it's the real world so things should take a little longer =) They'll probably be more real world chapters then fairytale chapters because at the time of the curse Aurora was still asleep... also now I've seen the finale I sort of know (if I do) where I'm going with it after the curse has broken =) I'm rambling now anyway sorry...  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	14. 14:FW:I'll Go Crazy If You Leave My Side

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

* * *

'Fawna please think about this for a moment!' Flora cried.

'Fawna there are other ways.' Merryweather said. 'We can try and find her, convince her.'

'NO! I am taking this to The Blue Fairy! If she's in love with this man there's only one cure.' Fawna spat at her sisters.

'Fawna if she has fallen in love with another.' Flora said.

'She has not fallen in love with another. She is a foolish girl who has had her head turned by a conman.' Fawna replied.

'Fawna, do you not think your view may be a little skewered?' Merryweather said what they were both thinking.

'He will break her heart!' She snapped viciously.

'She's not you. Or me for that matter.' Flora snapped back. They'd both been hurt, Fawna had lost her wings in the process of love. She had only retained some magic because The Blue Fairy had taken pity on her but to this day she still couldn't fly. Flora was sure it had been her sister who had ensured her love disappeared but that didn't ease the pain any.

'He will break her heart! We have a duty to her!' Fawna said harshly.

It was Merryweather who had found the note. She tried to hide it from Fawna at first but the fairy soon sensed something was wrong when Aurora still hadn't risen at half twelve.

_To my loving aunts,  
I'm so grateful for everything you have done for me over the years,  
unless you have been in love though you cannot understand  
the feelings which have overtaken my heart.  
For the first time in my life I feel free and home and  
don't even have to be running through the forest to feel it.  
I'm in love, you can try to tell me that I'm not but  
I am. I'm in love with a wonderful amazing man.  
While I'm sure your prince is lovely I cannot marry him,  
because no matter how good or kind hearted he is, he  
will never compare to my Jiminy.  
I love you dearly but I cannot allow you to part  
me from him.  
Aurora  
xx_

'Do you know what she will do?' Merryweather asked. She didn't entirely trust their elder and somewhat leader of the fairies.

'She will ensure that Aurora marries the prince.' Fawna replied.

'She loves another though.' Merryweather almost pleaded with her sister but she refused to answer pacing up and down.

* * *

'Where've you been?' Jiminy's father asked Jiminy as he arrived back at the camp. His face fell immediately on returning to his parents as they gave him a toothy grin and rubbed palms together for the money they'd be bringing in.

'That doesn't matter, Jiminy we're leaving. Tonight!' Jiminy's mother replied watching him suspiciously.

'B-but I thought you were making a killing.' Jiminy replied, heart rate quickening in his ears, he couldn't leave Aurora. No he wouldn't leave her.

'Yes and if we don't move on we'll probably end up being killed.' Jiminy's father replied.

'Don't have a problem with that do you Jiminy?' His mother asked watching him closely. Jiminy looked at her suspiciously for a moment wondering if she did know about Aurora but she couldn't, he'd been careful not to mention her and to watch his emotions around her.

'N-no why would I?' Jiminy replied slowly. Yes he did have a problem with that though. His thoughts flew back to Aurora and as hard as this was going to be he knew he had to leave his parents behind. This time they wouldn't stop him.

It took Jiminy longer than he would have thought to get back to the forest. His parents were keeping an unusually close eye on him and kept him busy most of the morning. Finally he managed to grab his satchel and with a single look back slink off into the forest. He felt guilty the whole walk in, worried that he might be doing the wrong thing but as soon as he saw Aurora all that melted away into nothingness and his heart gave a jolt.

As soon as she saw him, she jumped up from where she had been sat with Perdy and ran into his arms clutching onto him like it was the last thing she would ever do and he could tell something was wrong instantly.

'Aurora what is it?' He asked rubbing her back soothingly and running fingers lightly through her hair. Aurora buried her face into his chest and shook her head. She was sobbing, a little and her shoulders were shaking as she cried.

'Aurora?' He asked again, worry filling his chest and flooding his veins seeming to make his arms hold her tighter to him and he pressed a kiss against the top of her head. Aurora sniffed and wipe her eyes, she hadn't meant to react that way to him but she'd spent the whole morning certain that her aunts would find her and she'd be dragged back off to the house. Maybe, if they had any they'd use magic too.

'We have to go, we have to get away from here.' She sniffed running to pick up her satchel. 'Come on, we have to go.' She said grabbing his hand and tugging at it.

'W-What's happened?' He asked dropping his hand from hers forehead creasing.

'They're going to stop us Jiminy, we have to go. We have to get out of here so they won't find us.' Aurora replied and he could hear how shaky her voice was and wondered if her aunts had found out he'd been in her room the night before.

'Aurora, we, we need to think about this for a moment.' Jiminy replied.

'No we have to go before they find us.' Aurora replied panic etched across her face eyes still a little wet.

'Aurora they don't know where we are.' Jiminy said softly. She looked at him for a moment and breathed deeply, the panic in her chest seeming to ebb away a little and her brow un-furrowed and her features softened.

'What happened?' Jiminy asked and when she told him about this morning he wished he hadn't asked because he felt a tight pang of panic shoot across his heart and he didn't think he could bare to lose her. The worst part of it all though was the small voice inside him, which was telling him he should let her go because she deserved so much more than him. He knew if she chose to go he'd let her because she really did deserve so much better than him.

'Don't you dare!' Aurora said to him after a moment, her head was back on his chest and his hands were around her making her feel safe and home but she could sense the emotions fleeting over him as she'd told him. Jiminy pulled away and looked at her curiously.

'I know exactly what you're thinking and don't you dare. I don't want some stupid prince. I love you and only you. Nothing is going to change that!' She said seriously kissing him softly. Suddenly Jiminy was no longer worried, about his parents, about letting her go. She wasn't going anywhere. He kissed her back and lifted her off the ground a little easily, she let out a small squeal and he beamed at her.

'Come on then.' Jiminy said taking her hand and tugging her a little. She beamed at him and adjusted her satchel.

They walked all day. They hadn't gotten too far from either the forest or the camps. They were on foot though after all. They settled just before sunset underneath a big oak tree on the edge of a meadow filled with long grass and bugs of all different sorts. They relaxed at the base of the tree Aurora in between Jiminy's legs her head resting on his chest and the gentle hum of the crickets serenading them.

Jiminy felt blissful, not nervous as he had the day before when she had wriggled in between his legs because now he had no reason to be nervous. To feel embarrassed. If he wanted her, if he wanted to kiss her to hold her, he could do and he was sure she would return the love he felt.

'You know, we should have new names if we're running away.' Aurora said dreamily interlinking her fingers with his again and twisting a little to look at him. He bent his head and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

'You could be cricket.' She smiled.

'And w-what would you be?' Jiminy replied. 'Madame Butterfly?' he let out a low chuckle and he'd meant it as a compliment as he squeezed her hand gently.

'No, I always thought butterflies were a little too showy.' She paused for a moment and sat up, Jiminy watched her closely a little disappointed at the fact she had moved away from him.

'Ladybug.' Aurora smiled at him.

'Don't you think people might think we, we're a little odd with those names?' Jiminy asked as she turned to face him sitting back on haunches and playing with her hair for a moment.

'Well, let them,' Aurora smiled, 'we can always come up with other names.'

Aurora stood up and wandered around, head seeming to be in another space all together. She started dancing like Jiminy had seen her do before in the woods. She beamed at him and held a hand out.

'We have no music.' Jiminy replied a small smile dancing on his face because how could he not smile when she was stood in front of him. He took her hand all the same and she pulled him up.

'Listen.' She said to him. Against the crickets in the background Aurora began to hum and linked her fingers with him forcing him to dance with her on the edge of the field. 'That's the thing about crickets, they fill the air with music.' She smiled at him, he crossed their interlinked hands across her chest so his arms fell onto her waist and he pulled her close.

'Do you think we could be like that?' Jiminy asked gesturing to the farmhouse they could see in the distance with a couple going about their evening work. He rested his head on her shoulder and kissed it gently.

'You want to live on a farm?' She asked him curiously.

'You don't?' He replied.

'A cottage on the edge of a forest, and a field like this one, somewhere for the dogs and children to run around.' Aurora replied.

'Children?' Jiminy said his heart giving another jolt of happiness inside his chest. Aurora blushed.

'Well, I mean, I though-' She stopped stammering and feeling embarrassed for letting her mind run away with her. She stepped away from him and played with her fingers nervously.

'I-it would have to be after, well after we got married of course.' Jiminy replied taking her hands in his. Aurora beamed at him and through her hands around his neck, kissing him deeply.

'I love you.' He said brushing the hair out of her face and watching her closely. 'I don't think I'm e-ever going to tired of telling you that.'

After the sun had set and the stars were almost all out they settled down in the base of the tree again, this time Jiminy went off and gathered up bits of leaves they could use for pillows along with their satchels so their necks wouldn't ache in the morning. Aurora took off her travelling cloak and they used that as a blanket, they talked for a while until Aurora started yawning heavily and Jiminy tightened his grip around her waist and kissed the back of her neck lovingly.

'Jiminy?' Aurora said sleepily.

'Yes?' he replied smiling into the top of her back.

'I don't ever want to wake up without your arms around me again.' She said humming a little and yawning.

'W-well you won't have to.' He replied and pulled her tighter, 'Now sleep ma belle au bois dormant.' Jiminy whispered and let her drift off, he drifted off himself several moments later.

* * *

'If she's in love with another-' Flora began.

'Shut up Flora.' Fawna replied.

'She is destined for the prince, it has been written since before she was born.' The Blue fairy replied and Flora scowled at her, she didn't like her. Not after what she'd done to Nova or what she'd done to Tulip and Luna. She didn't trust her, not an ounce, the way she had 'helped' Fawna was testament to that because it was almost cruel.

'But her hear-' Merryweather interjected.

'Do you know where she could have gone? Have you any idea?' The Blue Fairy cut her off speaking directly to Fawna.

'The forest is our only clue.' Fawna replied.

'We will find her, it is of great importance that we do.' The Blue Fairy replied.

'Fawna, you can't be serious, is it not enough for her to be happy?' Flora said scowling at The Blue Fairy as she left and narrowing her eyes at her sister.

'She only thinks she is happy, he will break her heart.' Fawna replied, her face stony and expressionless.

'You are the one who is going to break her heart Fawna! You don't even know the boy.' Flora argued.

'Better I do it now then let her fall deeper under his spell.' Fawna replied only mildly paying attention to her sisters.

'And what if he has no magic. What if he truly loves her and she him? What then?' Flora replied, Merryweather stayed silent not wanting to get involved in her sisters fight.

'She doesn't even know what love is.' Fawna replied and Flora could hear in her voice that she was questioning her actions. 'She is destined for the prince, it has been foretold, this boy will break her heart sooner or later, better now than later.'

'Fawna you know what a broken heart does to a person.' Flora sounded almost sickened at how ready Fawna was to hurt and scar the child they had raised so easily for the sake of a prophecy that might not even come true. Its true things were written in the stars, that certain paths were lined up, that didn't mean paths couldn't fork or going in different directions though. To break someone's heart and purposefully was for Flora the worse crime anyone could commit but for a fairy to do it? To conspire to break the heart of someone it, was despicable and not something she would be a part of.

* * *

_**A/N: So here's the link to the list of music =) http:/0 . com/ post/ 23228749291/ fanmix-or-whatever-you-want-to-call-it-for-and  
Also some random stuff I made **__**http:/ .com /pos t/23134446508 /i- shouldnt-be-allowed-near-a-photoeditor-when**_

_**(Delete the spaces for links to work =))  
**_

_**=) enjoy =)  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	15. 15:RW: I'm Coming Home, To Breathe Again

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

* * *

'Are you going to this thing of Granny's?' Rory asked Archie as she made them coffee in the small kitchen at the office. It had taken her a few days to adjust and go back to her normal self, the trouble with 'depression' (if one could call what she had that) is that it's very difficult to 'cure' and the feelings of emptiness and that thick dense grey fog that appears in a person's chest don't just disappear overnight. It takes days, takes time, like rain clouds parting for the sun. She was almost there now, all but returned to her smiley self and that was helped a great deal by Archie and Pongo.

'I honestly didn't think Granny would be the sort to want a party.' Archie replied nodding to her as she passed him the cup.

'Oh you haven't seen the way her and Rose get after they've had a drink then.' Rory tucked her feet up on the couch and Archie enjoyed the ease with which she did it and the way Pongo hopped up and settled next to her.

'No I don't believe I've had the pleasure.' Archie chuckled.

'They seem to be most partial to Abba.' Rory smiled and then let out a small laugh remembering the last time her favourite aunt and Granny had gotten drunk at the house and Rose had stolen a costume from the shop just so she could perform Super Trooper.

'Abba? Really?' Archie seemed shocked and there was a knock on the door. He looked up at the time instinctively, it always seemed to go far too quickly when he was with Rory. There never seemed to be enough hours and they'd have to leave off half way through a story or laughing at one thing or another. Henry's latest appointment wasn't supposed to be for another ten minutes.

The knock at the door came again and Archie called for them to come in.

'Hey Henry.' Rory smiled at him and Pongo ran over to greet him. She sat up and slipped her shoes on and stood up. Archie followed her to the door.

'Won't be a moment Henry.' Archie smiled. 'Sorry about that he's a little early,' Archie pulling the door behind him closed softly.

'It's ok I don't mind. I'll see you tomorrow, same time, same place.' She pulled him into a hug and everything in Archie's body seemed to be screaming at him about how easy it would have been to give her kiss and say _I'll see you tonight._ His cheeks reddened a little but Rory didn't seem to have noticed as she let go of him.

'Oh, no wait Marco, Marco asked me to lunch tomorrow.' Archie said before she could leave. She turned to face him and the smile on her face didn't falter which made him even happier.

'Then I guess I will see you later in the week.' She smiled and turned giving him a small wave as she went. He watched her for a moment before he remembered Henry was waiting for him.

'Why don't you tell her?' Henry asked him when he re-entered and Archie was a little taken aback at just how observant the child was, although he didn't think he should be that surprised. The boy had an amazing imagination.

'Wh-what are you talking about?' he asked sitting opposite the small boy.

'You know, coz you love her.' Henry said and Archie furrowed his brow at the young boy.

'Henry I don't think this is appropriate discussion for our session.' Archie replied rather formally.

'Ok,' Henry shrugged, 'but you should tell her, you are her prince after all.' Henry said and this time Archie couldn't supress the small smile that passed across his face.

'I thought I was Jiminy Cricket?' Archie said a little confused and wondering if Henry had been assigning more fictional characters to people. He thoroughly believed the boy was using it as a way to understand and express himself. It was natural for him to paint Emma as a Hero as a way of coping with the fact she had given him up for adoption and was now suddenly back in his life and Archie believed that everyone else had to fit into this fairytale world.

'I told you Jiminy Cricket was a man before he was a cricket.' Henry said rolling his eyes and adjusting himself on the couch.

'H-Henry I'm a little confused, who do you think Rory is?' Archie asked his curiosity getting the better of him.

'Sleeping Beauty of course!' Henry replied, Archie tilted his head in curiosity at him and furrowed his brow.

'Henry, Sleeping, well she fell in love with a prince.' Archie was feeding his own ego he knew it but if he could imagine anyone as a princess it was Rory.

'Nope.' Henry replied shaking his head and scrunching his face up a little. 'She fell in love with a travelling man and then they were taken away from each other. So she wished she could sleep until she woke up next to him.' Henry replied. Archie thought it was sweet and relatively fitting, but there was no way Rory loved him back, she just couldn't.

'Henry, do you think there's a reason why the characters resemble those of us in Storybrooke so much?' Archie asked him, it was a stupid question but he was trying to make the boy think.

'Because of the curse, obviously!' Henry replied.

* * *

'What did I tell you!' Rory said to Archie bringing her mouth level with his ear so he could hear her. Her face was so close and her breath tickled his ear and sent a wave of tingles over his body.

'I can see what you mean.' Archie replied. Rose was indulging herself in a very over the top performance of Take a Chance On Me by Abba with Granny hot on her heels as they gyrated a little too much for women of their age and had everyone laughing. They even made their way over to Archie at one point, who blushed furiously and then they moved onto Marco who proceeded to join them in their remaining song and dance.

The party was a hit. Granny had been thoroughly surprised and was having a wonderful time. Almost everyone in town had turned out even Mr Gold who sat in a corner on his own most of the night before circling a little. The only person missing seemed to be Regina.

Archie even managed to dance with Rory a few times, thoroughly enjoying pulling her close and spinning her around. He was watching her, lost in thought fingers circling the edges of his punch glass when Marco approached him.

'You should tell her Arch,' Marco said watching his friend.

'What do you mean?' Archie replied, he already knew though, was he really being that obvious. If he was had Rory just not noticed, or, was she purposefully ignoring it.

'Tell her you love her, while you have the chance.' Marco smiled as Sunny grabbed his hand and dragged him back up to dance.

Archie looked back to Rory that was the second time that week he'd been told to tell her. He watched her for a moment, he had to. The need was sitting heavy in his chest. The question that seemed to plague his mind at the moment was whether or not she felt the same. She'd do something like grab his hand during a film or when she hugged him for a little too long and he'd think she liked him. Hope would take over and it would become a real possibility. Then he'd come up with a thousand reasons why she wouldn't, why she couldn't love him. There were far more attractive men in town, he was older than her. She deserved someone better, he was boring.

'I knew this was a bad idea.' Rory laughed as she slid into the booth opposite him. 'I just hope I'm that, hmm, active, when I'm that age.'

'Oh I don't doubt you will be.' Archie said looking at her for a moment as she watched Granny, Rose, Sunny and Marco. Faline sat scowling at the counter. He could feel the bubble getting bigger inside his chest and he knew if he didn't tell her it was going to explode out sooner or later.

'Are you ok?' Rory asked him sensing his discomfort. 'Archie?' she reached out a hand and touched his arm trying to offer comfort and that was it Archie couldn't hold his tongue any longer. He breathed deeply took his glasses off and rubbed his eyes before returning them.

'Rory I need to tell you something because, because I, well I can't keep it inside any longer.' Archie said his eyes trained on hers and Rory's eyes narrowed and she tilted her head as confusion and worry flitted across her mind, she opened her mouth to speak and Archie stopped her.

'I-I-I,' he faltered for a moment and looked to the floor and then back up to meet her eyes. 'I'm in love with you and I have been for a long time now. I-I know you don't reciprocate the feelings, but I-I can't walk around with this feeling of not knowing anymore.' He watched her closely not fully understanding her reaction.

Rory sat there a little open mouthed. She just stared at him and suddenly everything seemed to click into place: His reaction to when he'd seen her with Gold, his reaction when she was going to jump. Her own reactions to everything, suddenly everything just seemed to make sense and she tried to say something but words seemed to fail her because she was still a little in shock as all the cogs finished clicking and they released a tidal wave of recognition over her.

'Oh I'm sorry, just forget what I said.' Archie blushed furiously taking her silence as a negative he got up and rushed out of the diner causing quite a few heads to turn. Rory just stared in the spot where he'd been, had he really just told her he loved her?

'What did you do to Archie?' Emma and Mary asked standing close to the booth.

'I think Archie just told me he loves me.' She said and they both looked to each shock and minor amusement etched on their faces. 'I have to go.' Rory said suddenly grabbing her coat and purse of the counter and taking off outside after him.

'Archie!' She shouted after him but he kept walking head bent, angry at himself because what else had he been expecting? She was well she was Rory and he was Archie and they were friends, best friends and that was all.

'Archie!' She tried to catch up to him but her heels were slowing her down. She took them off and ran up the street barefoot stopping in front of him. He tried to walk around her so she moved in front of him again.

'R-Rory please just, just forget I said anything.' Archie said and she could see he was upset his eyes were sparkling but the tears weren't quite falling and he wouldn't meet her eyes. He was looking at the floor head tilted in that way that he had which she found cute, endearing and rather attractive if she was honest.

'Did you mean it?' She breathed. She stepped a little closer to him but he still wouldn't look at her.

'Every word.' He replied eyes flickering up to her for a moment.

'Really?' She asked and she could feel her own eyes prickling a little. Archie nodded and looked away from her. Rory looked at him smiling and finding the fact he didn't already know what she was thinking ridiculous. She bit down on her bottom lip, a little hesitant about what she was about to do and then leaned up on her tiptoes and with her free hand pulled him into a kiss, swinging the other arm around the back of his neck for leverage.

Archie couldn't believe it. He thought all his Christmas' had come at once, he kissed her back of course he did because he'd been waiting for this for so long. He'd been waiting to kiss her, to hold her. His mind was in shock though and his thoughts were racing between thinking about kissing her and then the shock, because that was still there. The hand that wasn't clutching his umbrella slipped around her waist and pulled her closer to him and he didn't let go when she broke the kiss for fear she might disappear.

'Archie my feet are hurting.' Rory said, on her tiptoes on the uneven road was uncomfortable.

'Oh, sorry.' He said easing his grip on her waist. She removed the hand from around his neck and her feet were flat on the floor again and the feeling of discomfort eased.

'I love you.' She said and gently placed a kiss on his lips again before interlinking the fingers of his free hand with hers. She gave it a gentle squeeze.

'So,' Archie began, if he'd felt nervous before now he felt worse. There was a knot in his stomach and he knew he wanted to take her home and shower her with affection but he didn't know how to broach the subject. Everything was so perfect and he didn't want to ruin it but he didn't know quite where to go with it either.

'Well I guess you're supposed to take me on a date, but you have already taken me out and danced with me tonight. Technically, I think you're supposed to ask me in for coffee, or I'm supposed to ask you.' She smirked and blushed in the moonlight.

'Oh, well coffee it is then.' He beamed and breathed deeply not wanting to get his hopes up of what was to come. Then nervousness set in, because if she did want more than just coffee, it would mean all sorts of things, which right now he didn't want to start imagining. Fearing his cheeks would redden and she'd look at him like he was a fool. His thoughts switched from seeing her, like that, in a bed. To him and he found he was suddenly very self-conscious. He wasn't exactly the trimmest of men, he was by no means fat but he was no Graham and he was older than her. A panic set in and he decided instead to concentrate on this moment and just this moment because it was perfect. It was more than perfect.

For the first time, in a long time Archie felt home, really home. He felt that tonight if Henry were to ask him he would say he believed in magic, because some other force was surely at work here.

* * *

_**A/N: So here's the link to the list of music =) http:/0 . com/ post/ 23228749291/ fanmix-or-whatever-you-want-to-call-it-for-and  
Also some random stuff I made **__**http:/ .com /pos t/23134446508 /i- shouldnt-be-allowed-near-a-photoeditor-when**_

_**(Delete the spaces for links to work =))  
**_

_**=) enjoy =)  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	16. 16: FW: Sleep Warm, Sleep Well My Love

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

* * *

Jiminy stirred, he opened his eyes slowly and could sense something was wrong. He could hear muffled voices and something rustling around in the distance. He took his arm from around her gently so as not to disturb her but found she muttered in her sleep and turned over. He smiled before hearing the voices again. He was going to investigate because they weren't going to get close to Aurora, no way. He'd sacrifice himself to save her if he had to.

Jiminy walked a little away from her and was exploring the forest in the dim moonlight, hunting silently for the source of the noise when he spotted his parents. He tried to hide behind a tree but they had already spotted him.

'Jiminy! Jiminy!' His mother shouted.

'Jiminy!' His father cried and he knew he couldn't ignore them, if they came any closer they'd wake Aurora and he didn't want that so he moved towards them.

'There you are Jiminy! We've been looking for you all day, come on we're leaving.' His mother said loudly and then turned to walk away from him.

'No.' Jiminy said defiantly.

'What?' Jiminy's mother said turning.

'No!' He said again.

'Jiminy what has gotten into you my boy, surely you're not going to leave your old folks to get cold and hungry.' His father said.

'I'm not coming with you.' Jiminy said sternly, standing his ground.

'Why not?' His mother asked watching him closely her tone a little harsh.

'Because I'm going out on my own.' Jiminy paced a little and looked away from his parents.

'The road alone is a lonely one son, maybe you should stick with us and we can help you out.' Jiminy's father beamed at him but Jiminy stayed silent.

'You know she's a princess.' His mother spat suddenly.

'Wh-who are you talking about?' Jiminy asked trying to remain calm.

'Your lady friend, she's a princess.' Jiminy sighed and scratched his head there was no point denying it now.

'I know.' Jiminy replied.

'Then you know she is promised to a prince.' Jiminy's mother said her lips twisting around the words as though they were a cruel weapon to be wielded at her pleasure.

'She doesn't love him.' Jiminy said simply because he'd never been surer of anything in his life.

'HA! And you think she can love you!' His mother laughed and his father moved to say something but retreated when his mother held up a hand.

'I know she loves me.' Jiminy replied.

'Does she know you're a conman Jiminy; a thief, a liar, a cheater, a no good conman and a coward to end it all?' Her lips twisted around the last word as though she was trying to destroy him.

'Not anymore. Not with her.' Jiminy said because he knew, he knew Aurora had already made him a better man. He was already a better man for knowing her, for loving her.

'HA! What will you live on Jiminy fresh air and moonbeams?' his mother laughed high and cold into the night.

'W-we'll find a way. We'll make an honest living.' Jiminy replied annoyance welling inside him.

'HA! And you think she'll really love a fool like you? Choose a common thief like you over a palace and a prince.' Jiminy's mother replied looking him over like he was something disgusting, Jiminy knew they were trying to break his resolve, trying to make him admit he wasn't good enough for her and trudge off home. He was though, he was good enough for her, maybe he wasn't a prince but Aurora had already told him he proved himself quite the knight. He remembered how panicked she had been at the thought of leaving him and his resolve had never been stronger.

'She loves me.' He repeated a little more sternly this time. Suddenly a small bright blue light found its way into the clearing inhabiting the dark space. Jiminy glanced back towards Aurora a little worried for her safety as his parents shrank into the darkness.

'I'm afraid your parents are right Jiminy.' A voice said from the light, he struggled to see who or what it was at first and protested believing it was a trick of his parents. He soon saw it wasn't when a fairy appeared, he'd never seen one before but he'd heard of them,

'Aurora and I love each other, we are going to be together and someday we will be married.' Jiminy replied forcefully. His mother scoffed and let out a laugh while The Blue Fairy looked at him sympathetically.

'Jiminy I'm afraid Aurora's fate was decided a long time ago in the stars. It has been her destiny since birth to unite the two warring nations and save millions of lives. Why do you think Aurora's aunts kept her away from others all these years? Loving another could tear her heart Jiminy.' The Blue Fairy lied but Jiminy looked up at her and the way she smiled and her eyes twinkled simply made him trust her.

'S-she loves me.' Jiminy a little mildly, he shook his head and scoffed a little. He couldn't let her go.

'And you love her?' The Blue Fairy asked sympathetically.

'With all of my being.' Jiminy replied sternly.

'Then you must let her go Jiminy.' The Blue Fairy hovered in front of him and he looked down at the ground for a moment. She seemed to move closer and he looked up to see a small smile pass over her face as she observed him. 'NO!' Jiminy cried suddenly anger welling inside him. The Blue Fairy moved back.

'Yo-you don't care about her at all. Y-you just care about this kingdom.' Jiminy said straightening up and bracing himself for a fight. He loved Aurora with all his heart. They would be married and have children and a cottage. They were going to spend as many mornings as possible watching the sunrise. The Blue Fairy suddenly conjured an orb of white light which settled into a crystal colour hovering mid-air in front of him.

'I didn't want to show you this.' She sighed, she herself had noticed the change in the orbs a week or so ago. Nothing within them was ever crystal clear, flashes, images of things that were to come. When Fawna had arrived The Blue Fairy had paid the orb more attention and had decided something had to be done, because this one decision the girl was planning to make was slowly changing the fates of not just herself but for others in the kingdom.

Jiminy watched the orb as images flashed up repeating themselves and interchanging, Aurora sobbing hard against a bed and then she was laid out. Looking like she was in the most peaceful sleep he'd ever seen, only that couldn't be sleep because her aunts were sobbing around her.

'The fates have shifted Jiminy, if you remain in her life this is the fate that will befall her.' The blue fairy said softly and Jiminy felt his heart drop into his stomach, he watched the images moving closer to them. How could he do that to her? How could he do that to the person he loved? The answer was he couldn't.

'Y-y-you could be wrong.' He said his eyes sparkling in the light of the orb, fear and panic was setting in, even as he protested his eyes were filling up.

'It has been suggested.' The Blue Fairy replied, it hadn't been suggested before though because no one had ever questioned her before, no one had ever questioned her knowledge or the orbs. She wondered for a minute if he could be right, it was possible the fallout from separating the two of them could cause this but she highly doubted it.

'So this could be wrong?' Jiminy said a touch of hope in his voice.

'Jiminy you have to understand that the vision only changed after you came into her life.' Jiminy watched the images again for a moment and felt his heart sink even lower into his stomach.

He raised his head about to say something but he couldn't quite form the words, the words to wonder if that reaction could have been over him.

'HA, you think that kind of reaction could have been over you?' His mother scoffed loudly and something flitted across The Blue Fairy's face, that possibility hadn't entered her mind before now. Surely not though. The girl had known him for less than a month and besides her heart belonged to the Prince.

'Jiminy I understand this must be hard.' The Blue Fairy began looking at him sympathetically. 'But if you truly loved her, you would let her go. Leave with your parents tonight.'

Jiminy looked at her his heart breaking and silent tears finally breaking and falling over his face. He looked back towards where she lay unaware of the decisions being made about her life. Jiminy had to do what was best for her, even if it meant he was in pain for the rest of his life. The pain in his chest was all too real now and he didn't know if he could bare it.

'I think it would be best not to wake her.' The Blue Fairy said, because she could already see the pain etched on Jiminy's face and knew which path he had decided to take. The Blue Fairy looked at him. If he loved her surely he would have fought harder. Her ideas on these matters were skewered though. Jiminy was fighting, he was fighting himself, the selfish part of him that wanted to keep her forever and let the slumber come if it must at some point.

'I need to say goodbye.' Jiminy could barely get the words out as they seemed to choke at his throat. The Blue Fairy nodded and didn't follow because she was sure he wasn't going to wake her.

Jiminy turned ready to say something and then looked back, his parents were watching him closely a wicked smile was playing upon his mother's face but his father looked sad for him if not a little proud. It seemed to take Jiminy hours to make his way over her, with every step it felt like his legs were being pulled deeper into some horrible quicksand and he found his breath caught in his chest a little, a sharp pain etching its way across his heart.

He didn't lean over to kiss her knowing this would wake her, alert her that something was wrong. He nestled down next her, trying to stop himself from cracking. From falling apart as she instinctively pulled his hand around her waist.

'Hhhmmm Jimny.' She mumbled sleepily and wriggled closer to him.

'Shhh, sleep, ma belle au bois dormant.' Jiminy whispered into her ear and kissed the back of her head giving her hand a gentle squeeze and managing to unfurl his fingers from hers.

'I love you my Sleeping Beauty, don't ever forget that.' He whispered into the back of her head trying to keep his voice steady, trying to ensure the tears didn't fall and alert her that something was wrong. He lay there for a moment still. Wishing death could overtake him in that moment as a fog seemed to wash over him. Clinging to the insides of his chest and making it difficult for him to breathe.

'I love you.' He said one more time before he slipped away from her. His resolve not breaking, she stirred a little.

'Ilvyo' She mumbled in her sleep. Jiminy turned quickly and walked as fast as he could into the forest. The Blue Fairy followed him for some time. Until Jiminy dropped to his knees his legs simply seeming to give out on him. Tears rolled off his cheeks and he clutched at his chest before wiping them.

'You have done the right thing Jiminy.' The Blue Fairy said softly.

'No,' Jiminy breathed because how could so much pain be right?

'You have Jiminy, you have saved her.' The Blue fairy replied. 'Thank you.' She added and it felt so wrong hearing her say thank you because he knew Aurora was going to wake up and realise he wasn't there. She was going to look for him and then she was going to feel betrayed and that that was the final straw. Jiminy seemed to snap as The Blue fairy disappeared and his parents reappeared. He fingered a vial in his pocket that had been there for a while now.

'Come on jiminy, one more stop. No time to be sitting around, families are in need of Elf Tonic, there's a small family just a short distance away who will probably take us in and feed us.' She sneered. His father gave him a pitying look and Jiminy no longer had the energy to fight them. He nodded and stood silently, his body seemed to be carrying along, every limb on autopilot as the numbness began to settle over him.

* * *

Aurora had awakened to the feeling of Merryweather shaking her gently. She had jumped up, shrugged them off, ignoring their pleas and tall tales of how Jiminy had left her. How they had seen it with their own eyes. Flora didn't like this method, they had agreed they would tell her he had died, that he had been killed fighting. Fawna had changed the story though at the very last moment. She told her that he had left. That he had run off. They'd hidden his bag and said he'd stolen her gold.

Aurora's heart had been ripped out of her heart and now she was sobbing on the forest floor, her heart had surely dissolved in her chest. She was in pain and tears weren't enough. It wasn't even pain it was numbness, dark clouds were rolling over her consuming her suffocating her. A world without Jiminy was simply not worth living in.

'I hope I die.' She screamed at her aunts as they tied to prise her from the forest floor. 'I'll not marry your prince.' She spat at Fawna and noticed the bracelet was still around her wrist. It was there, Jiminy hadn't abandoned her he wouldn't. He loved her, he had loved her they had been planning a life together something wasn't right here and she knew it, deep down she knew it. That was all she needed a small spark of hope to cling onto and she would cling onto it with everything she had because she was going to find him. They were going to be together and nothing any of them could say or do would stop that.

'What did you do?' She said narrowing her eyes at them.

'Aurora.' Rose tried to be soothing.

'Jiminy loves me, he is my love. Whatever you've done, whatever you have told him, wherever he is. I will find him, we will be together again. You're not going to tell me who I'm going to love.' Aurora spat at them viciously, snarling the words at her aunts.

'He doesn't love you, you foolish girl. He left you here, he stole your gold and he is probably laughing in some tavern now with a girl on each arm.' Fawna spat.

'No he isn't.' Aurora said because she knew Jiminy better than anyone else. She knew him, she had his heart and he had hers.

'Aurora, either come with us now or we will make you.' Fawna said seriously. Aurora didn't doubt they would, she looked at her aunts for a moment, her brain running a million miles an hour, heart heavy without Jiminy around her.

'Fine. I will find him though.' Aurora scowled at them.

For two weeks after Jiminy had disappeared Aurora made escape attempt after escape attempt all in the effort to search for him. She scoured the forest, calling out for him. She would lie in bed at night and imagine his arms were around her. She sent Perdy out to track him to no avail.

Then the day she was being forced to the castle came, she was driven up a long winding path towards the castle gates. She attempted escape only once. After that Fawna warned her she would use magic if necessary. They were all so sure that as soon as she saw the prince she would fall in love. Her heart would be captured by his. The Blue Fairy had assured them it was written in the stars but the moment never seemed to come, Flora watched her closely throughout the exchange and suddenly all her actions seemed so wrong, so damning and she felt guilt welling inside her.

Aurora had run out of dinner searching for an escape and had instead hit a dead end a tiny room at the back of the castle with only a tiny window. Suddenly the small flicker of hope that was keeping her soul alive died at the sight of the tiny room, the grey stone walls. The only thing she had left was the bracelet.

'Love can you hear me, if you're near me, sing our song, sure and strong.' She whispered the words into the moonlight somehow hoping that Jiminy would hear her, that he would rescue her.

'Please.' She whispered into the darkness and suddenly a figure appeared out of the darkness.

'Oh don't cry dearie, you have a whole castle to yourself.' The figure said from the darkness.

'I don't want a castle.' She said closing her eyes and letting tears fall, she opened them to see the figure glittered in the light a little, she wondered how he had gotten in the room, it was tiny after all and she didn't remember seeing him on her way in.

'No what you want is something you can't have.' Rumple replied watching her closely.

'Can you help me?' Aurora asked, the words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them, he had to be magical, he just had to. She needed him to be. 'Could you return my love? Can you make it so I wake up in Jiminy's arms again?' She asked.

'All magic comes with a price dearie.' Rumple said snapping his fingers.

'I'll pay it, anything. Anything if it means I can fall to sleep and wake up in Jiminy's arms again.' Aurora said desperately. Rumple looked her over for a moment and then pulled a dagger from his belt, Aurora stepped back.

'All I require is a drop of blood dearie.' Rumple said.

'A drop of blood and I'll fall asleep and wake up in Jiminy's arms?' She asked, she was beaming, hopes raised, joy in her heart at the possibility.

'Yes dearie.' Rumple replied and he let the dagger glitter in the light a little. Aurora held out her hand more than willing, Rumple grabbed her arm a little roughly and dragged the dagger along her hand collecting the blood that pooled in a small vial.

'And from this slumber you shall wake, when true loves kiss the spell shall break.' Rumple practically danced on the spot hands waving a little in the air. Aurora felt her eyes droop, seeming to feel very sleepy all at once yet the spark of excitement was still inside her at the thought of waking up to Jiminy again.

And then the world went black and faded into nothingness as Aurora fell into the deepest of slumbers.

* * *

_**A/N: Sorry this has taken so long swamped with Uni work and this chapter was believe it or not really hard to write because I didn't want to write it lol but next chapter will be a lot cheerier in the real world =)  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	17. 17:RW: And I'll Belong To You

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

**_I honestly kind of feel like I vomited a rainbow filled with puppies for this chapter... hahaha  
_**

* * *

When they made it back into Archie's he greeted Pongo who was happy to have company again and could clearly sense something was going on from the way he looked between the two of them and wagged his tail.

Archie crossed to the kitchen shrugging off his coat, hanging it on the back of a chair at the island, whilst Rory took her heels off. She relished the relief from the burning pain as her toes curled into the soft carpet. A nervousness seemed to settle inside both of them and Rory looked around a little sheepishly. Archie took his scarf off and hung that on the back of the chair with his umbrella busying himself in the kitchen and trying to keep his thoughts on anything other than the possibilities that were running through his mind.

'Make yourself at home,' Archie called back into the living room, 'did you want tea or coffee?' He asked. Rory smiled to herself for a moment before she spoke a sudden confidence appearing in her chest and wrestling with the nervousness.

'Archie,' she said softly. He turned to face her slowly, 'you don't really think I want coffee right now do you?' she asked and her voice faltered her on the last words giving away her nervousness and causing her to blush a little. Archie made a small o with his mouth, not quite sure how to react. Rory held out a hand to him and he walked over taking it.

Rory didn't have a plan as such, get upstairs and then let her body take over she figured. She guided him, his hand in hers tucked at the small of her back urging him to follow her upstairs. Once in the bedroom they stood a little awkwardly, because they'd both been wanting this for a while. Yet this wasn't exactly a, throw you against the wall and ravage you moment. Had they already had that moment it might have made this one a lot easier. A thought suddenly entered Archie's mind as he watched Rory walk across his bedroom looking around curiously.

'Rory, have you, I mean have you ever, this isn't-' Archie tried to get the words out but he couldn't, he'd never seen Rory out before he'd met her and since he was sure she hadn't had a partner.

'What, oh, yes, well I mean, it's been a long time. In fact I can't remember the last time-' she let out a nervous laugh, 'but I mean, I have, have you?' she asked him curiously, she had wondered.

Archie could have, but that wasn't the question. The question was had he ever actually had sex, she could easily picture the mild mannered Doctor as a virgin. In fact picturing him as being slightly domineering made her blush furiously and a wave of longing dance along her spine.

'What, oh, yes of course, I mean I remember, she was a nurse actually, it wasn't that good either.' Archie babbled remembering that disaster of a date.

'Good to know I'm being scored.' Rory said a little dryly. Perhaps a little jealous, even though she had no right to be.

'Oh, no I didn't mean that.' Archie said looking away from her for a moment. Rory bit her lip and smiled at him, putting two hands on the edges of his red sweater vest. A vest she liked on him a lot. Almost as much as she liked his waistcoat and those glasses in fact. She pulled him close to her and kissed him deeply.

A feeling unlike anything he'd felt before spread through him. Even with the nurse, (whose name he couldn't actually recall), he hadn't felt this. It seemed to spread from lips out through his body, causing what he could only describe as a ball of pleasure to form deep in his stomach and send blood rushing to all the relevant places. He pulled her close needing the contact more then he'd ever thought he would. He put a hand on the small of her back and felt her melt into him as they tumbled onto the bed and she complained about how many layers he was wearing whilst letting out frustrated moans as his hands ran up her thighs.

Everything was so natural, felt so right. Archie didn't think he'd ever felt more at home or more alive as he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close when she turned away from him in her sleep.

* * *

Rory woke in the morning feeling deeply satisfied, home. The clouds and cobwebs and fog that had littered the insides of her chest for so long had disappeared completely. She smiled and turned expecting to cuddle up to Archie who was absent from the bed. Rory looked around he wasn't in the bedroom.

She wrapped the blanket from the end of the bed around her, her dress was discarded on the floor and she didn't exactly want to put that back on. She hunted around Archie's room looking for something to throw on, hoping for a bathrobe (which she knew he owned). She was more than a little pleased that Archie wasn't exactly a skinny man. That he wasn't built like David or Sidney or heaven forfend Graham. It meant his shirts were a little bigger and his shoulders a little broader.

Rory wasn't the slimmest of girls herself, puppy fat she'd never quite shifted sat around her hips and tummy but Archie had apparently found the extra grip on her hips quite the turn on. Rory was shifting around looking for something to wear when she spotted Archie's discarded dress shirt and tie on the floor. She picked up the dress shirt and pondered on it for a moment. She dropped the blanket from around her and tugged that on, partly because she didn't want to put her dress back on just yet and partly because when girls did this in the movies apparently it was sexy.

It just about covered her buttocks and was a little tight on top. She had to leave a button open at the top because of her bust but she hoped he wouldn't mind her borrowing it.

Archie was busying himself in the kitchen after tearing himself away from Rory and chuckling because he remembered who Henry said she was. He'd had to answer her phone which apparently contained 17 missed calls from a rather worried Rose, who on hearing Archie's seemed to practically whoop at the other end of the phone.

Breakfast in bed, that's what he was in the process of making because he knew just how she liked her toast from the time when she fell asleep on the sofa after they has watched Ghostbusters and he knew how she liked her pancakes from the time she brought him breakfast over when he hadn't been feeling too well.

He was stood pouring coffee and orange juice whistling good morning from Singing in the Rain when she appeared in the door way. Archie's breath caught in his throat when he saw her stood there in his dress shirt, because that was his dress shirt and it barely covered her lower half and he never thought he'd seen the old thing look as good as it did now. He stepped in front of the breakfast feeling a little foolish.

'What are you hiding?' she asked him a small laugh escaping her lips. She found she didn't mind being half exposed in front of him because the way he looked at her gave her a confidence like she'd never felt before. That look and the way his breath has caught in his throat. The way his ears had reddened at the top was better than a million compliments from strangers.

'Well, I, well I was going to bring you breakfast in bed.' He replied turning quickly to turn the hob holding the now empty pan off.

'Would you like me to go back upstairs?' She smiled at him. Was it a smile or a smirk? Archie didn't know but he looked at the breakfast tray he'd been preparing and back to her. He found himself wondering just how long it would take her to eat or whether it would keep warm because he found her ravishing right now. His ears reddened at the thought of simply lifting her up onto the kitchen counter and taking her there.

'I'll go and wait upstairs.' She said simply, not fully understanding his reaction. As she went Archie caught a glimpse of lace briefs and he swallowed hard, breakfast first. Yes breakfast that's what he had been doing.

Archie stood in front of the counter thinking for a moment. He'd never been an overly sexual person. He'd never had it on the brain a lot, nor kissing someone. From time to time he had urges and from time to time (very rarely) he had satisfied himself. Now though, he found himself wondering if he had just never found the right person before because now with Rory, even before he had actually told her he loved her, even before last night he had thought about it.

He'd thought about that quite a lot. He'd found himself blushing furiously and now he actually had her. He didn't think his brain had processed it properly yet because he wanted to spend all day in bed ravishing her and showering her with the attention she deserved because when she had moaned his name the night before that would have been enough return for him. Rory however had done much more than that for him. Rory had appreciated every inch of him as much as he appreciated her and she had given him a confidence, a sexual confidence that had always seemed to evade him.

'I can't believe you made me breakfast in bed.' She giggled as he placed the tray on the end of the bed and she saw the effort he had actually gone to. 'I knew there was a reason I fell in love with you.' Archie's heart fluttered a little as she said it and Rory wasn't surprised at how easy it was to say it because she'd been searching for this for what felt like forever. He was the home she'd been searching for. The place she had always been calling out for saying 'I want to go home' quietly even when she was home.

'Because I can make toast?' Archie asked amused as she returned from the dresser and tying her hair up.

'And the pancakes,' she said straddling his lap and Archie felt that familiar knot appear as it had last night. He wondered if it would ever ease, if she'd ever stop having this effect on him. 'pancakes are important. Then there's the good nature,' she touched the spot over his heart.

'The vests, the vests are definitely important.' Archie raised his eyebrows at her and she simply nodded and gave him a soft kiss. Archie wrapped his hands around her resting them on the small of her back whilst hers rested on his shoulders.

'The conscience thing is good too. The hair,' she looked at him for a moment and blushed. 'The glasses too, definitely the glasses.' She kissed him again and this time he held onto her for a little longer.

'The glasses really?' He asked her letting out a small laugh and tilting his head.

'Oh yes Doctor Hopper, those glasses are very, very attractive on you.' She replied. 'Will that get cold?' she asked gesturing to the food, because there were a million things she'd rather be doing right now then eating breakfast and that included stripping Archie out those wonderful chequered pyjamas and that adorable bathrobe he was wearing.

'I, I think I can reheat it.' He said tilting his head glancing at the food and then smiling up at Rory. 'Why do-do you have something in mind?' He said a little innocently.

'I most certainly do Doctor Hopper.' She replied winking at him and tightening her grip around him with her arms and her thighs and pulling him into a deep kiss that caused his breath to hitch in his throat and a fire to course through his veins.

She was going to be the death of him, Archie thought to himself, but if that's how he was going to go he didn't think he minded.

* * *

_**A/N: So there was some fluff after last chapters events prepare for some nice fluffy chapters (including drunk Rory,) before I try and rip your hearts out of your chests again (ok maybe last time it didn't have that effect but still...)  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement =)  
**_


	18. 18:RW:Look So Pretty Sleeping Next To Me

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations. _**

* * *

'I should clear the dishes away.' Archie said for the second time, even though if he was honest he didn't want to. For the third time that week Rory was nestled up next to him burying her face into his chest. His hand resting on her exposed thigh after they'd finished watching Singing in the Rain. Archie mouthing half the words and Rory giggling at him, she was in one of his dress shirts, for the god knows what time that week. Archie was half convinced she was doing it because she knew the effect it had on him, which had not eased. Every time she strolled passed him his insides twisted in quick jolt of pleasure. The other half of him thought it was because she still hadn't brought herself pyjama's over despite his offer to buy her some. She'd been at his house almost every night for the past two weeks and he couldn't say that he didn't like it because he did.

'No, I will do them later, not now though.' Rory said nestling closer to him and closing her eyes again.

'Rory.' Archie said softly raising an eyebrow at her.

'Archie!' Was all Rory replied and he couldn't resist the tone in her voice or the way she nuzzled her face into his chest and looked up at him sheepishly.

'You're not going to fall asleep again are you?' Archie asked her, not that he minded of course but it made getting up all the harder when she was asleep and trapping him against the couch like this because a very strong part of him didn't want to disturb her.

'No.' Rory mumbled but her eyes had already closed and he could half see her struggling to keep them open.

'You know for someone who not a couple of weeks ago was struggling to get more than 4 hours you certainly seem to be making up for it.' Archie chuckled and brushed the hair from her face lightly.

'S'your fault.' Rory muttered.

'Am I really that boring?' Archie laughed but he couldn't help that thought niggling at him from time to time.

'No! No.' She protested a little and playfully smacked his chest lightly, which was more like a tap than anything else.

'Just awful comfy.' She muttered as she shifted again. Then he heard the soft familiar breathing and knew she'd fallen asleep again.

Part of Archie was happy with this. Although he would never call himself the cure for her insomnia a part of him definitely believed he had helped it a lot. Therefore he didn't so much mind her falling asleep on him, not in the slightest in fact he relished the feeling of having her there when so many others seemed to be alone.

* * *

'Archie, it's fine honestly.' Rory said, touching his hand lightly and smiling at him. 'There are a million things I need to do that I've been neglecting, one of which involves cleaning.' She grimaced.

Since being in a more intimate relationship with Rory, Archie had learnt that Rory had more than a simple room with her aunts. In fact she lived separate to them in a small flat that was attached to the house. He'd never really thought about it before because they'd always gone to his house for dinner or she'd met him at the office. When she asked him back to hers part way through the week Archie was a little reluctant at first, he didn't want the awkwardness of seeing her aunts the morning after. It transpired however that Rory lived almost completely separate from her aunts.

'I mean, I can hardly refuse the man treatment.' Archie replied furrowing his brow and circling his fingers with his thumb again.

'I think I've seen more than enough of you this week, maybe it's someone else's turn.' Rory replied giving him a coy smile that made Archie blush a little.

'It sounds like David could use your help a little more than me. Besides I'm sure you'll make it up to me.' Rory smiled at him.

'You should come out with us if you're not busy.' Ruby said strutting past she'd overheard half the conversation, hearing Rory would be free wondered if she'd want to come out with her, Mary Margaret and Emma from what she remembered of Granny's party, Rory had been quite lively.

'Well, erm, I mean. I'm not really the going out type.' Rory said a little flustered.

'You should go,' Archie said giving her hand a gentle squeeze, 'go and have a wonderful time.'

'Well, I'm not reall Rory began.

'She'll come.' Archie said suddenly. Ruby looked between them for a moment feeling a little out of place, they were so cute together, so quaint. It was nice to see someone in the town happy for a change.

'Can I say I told you so now?' Henry asked Emma as they passed Granny's.

'Now you can say I told you so.' Emma replied as they spied Archie giving Rory a kiss goodbye and leaving the diner, umbrella in his hand.

'Doesn't mean she's sleeping beauty though, or that he's Jiminy Cricket.' Emma said but she couldn't honestly ignore the small voice at the back of her mind that said they could be.

'Of course it does.' Henry rolled his eyes at Emma.

* * *

Archie had just got gotten inside and let Pongo off the leash, who sniffed around looking for Rory apparently not realising she wasn't actually living with them. The thought did cross Archie's mind though, although it was too soon. He knew it was too soon. It had only been two weeks after all, even if he had never been surer of wanting something in his life.

He was lost in thought in the hallway when the phone buzzed in his pocket. He was expecting Rory to call him she was out with a few of the women from the town. He was happy to see her going out. He'd only ever seen her out once when she had drunkenly told Emma and Mary Margaret how wonderful a man he was.

'Doctor Archie Hopper, how can I help?' Archie couldn't help answering this way it was just natural, Rory giggled every time he did it, it was when he hadn't checked who was actually calling him.

'Hey, Archie!' Emma Swan's voice came down the phone. There was lots of background noise and she was shouting loudly as a couple of people whooped and cheered around her.

'Emma? Is that you?' Archie replied watching Pongo pacing around and then drinking some water from his dish.

'Yeah, Archie listen, I need to ask you a favour.' Emma replied shouting a little.

'H-How can I help Emma?' Archie replied, wondering what on earth Emma was calling him for so late at night.

'Well, Archie, this is a little odd. I mean, it's Rory.' Archie's stomach twisted a little. 'She, erm, well I'm no psychiatrist but if I had to guess I'd say she was making up for lost time. She's more than a little drunk and well, the rest of us kind of aren't.' Emma said, she paused for a moment and there seemed to be lots of cheering from the end of the phone.

'I don't want to take her home, not the way Faline is with her. She'd get grief forever, so I thought I'd call the boyfriend.' Archie's heart fluttered as she called him that. It meant other people in town had acknowledged and accepted their relationship, not that it mattered but it was still nice to know.

'Where are you?' Archie asked, he didn't need to though there were only two clubs in town, one Outlaws, which was more a tavern/club and then Baloo's which was a full on night club and Archie knew most of the young people ventured into there.

'Outlaws, she's a little drunk Doc, you sure you're ok with me dropping her on you?' Emma asked.

'Wouldn't have it any other way,' Archie replied, 'I'll be there in fifteen minutes or so.' Archie grabbed his car keys off the side because he did own a car despite what most people thought. He just enjoyed walking everywhere, walking with Pongo but even he had thought it sensible to invest in one for transporting boxes of patient files.

* * *

When Archie got into the pub he understood why Emma had called him, it was only 10:30 and yet Rory seemed to be rather drunk, relishing the freedom her new found happiness had brought her.

It took him a moment to find her because she was looking rather unlike herself. He watched the back of her head dip onto a strangers stomach who was lay on the bar and then a moment later she tilted her head back and was met with cheers by the surrounding patrons, especially a scantily clad Ruby, whom it seemed had led her older counter-part astray.

Rory had gone out in her jeans and a blue chequered shirt but the shirt was now tied just under her breasts, showing off her naval and it was opened at the top. His own reaction interested him greatly on the one hand his brow was furrowing because this wasn't the Rory he knew and he knew it was as Emma had suggested a case of making up for lost time. The other part of Archie was looking her over and thinking how delicious she looked, even with her hips spilling out of her jeans a little.

She spotted him before he said anything.

'Archie!' She cried and as she moved away from the man lain out on the bench laughing loudly Archie saw it was the new mysterious stranger and he furrowed his brow at him a little.

'Archie, we're doing these things called, called,' she paused clicking her fingers, 'called body shots! No one has done one off me though! You should come and do one, off me!' She slurred throwing her hands onto his shoulders and swinging a little. Archie gulped at little at her suggestion, ears reddening a little at the top. Emma came over to them and shrugged at Archie who looked a little flustered.

'Ruby got her started on those.' She shrugged, 'sorry about this.'

'It's not a problem.' Archie replied despite the fact that Rory was practically climbing on top of him in the bar.

'Archie, you should come and meet August!' Rory grabbed his hand and though stumbling a little pulled him over to where August was just rearranging himself.

Archie raised an eyebrow at a scantily glad Ruby who looked away from him sheepishly. Feeling guilty that she'd let Rory get into the state she had, whilst she was still relatively sober. She always felt a little guilty around Archie because he was like a father figure, always ready to listen and help. He disapproved of the way she dressed she knew he did but he always kept his eyes on her face when she spoke to him, which was sweet.

'Archie this is August!' Rory said flinging her arms out and Archie didn't much like the way he put an arm around her waist as she stumbled, even if it was just a friendly gesture. August let her go when she was steady and looked at Archie for a moment studying him, he felt odd. Like his father was telling him off because he was doing something he shouldn't. He held out a hand to Archie.

'August.' He smiled.

'Archie Hopper.' Archie replied shaking his hand and August would know that voice anywhere, just not the face because the last time he had seen this man he hadn't been a man but a cricket.

'Archie's a Doctor.' Rory slurred and beamed at him.

'I think we should get you home.' Archie said to her his brow furrowing again.

'Nooo, you should have a drink with us. Then you can take me home.' Rory said grabbing hold of him and biting her lip at him.

'I think maybe Archie's right Rory.' Emma said softly.

'I'll take you home, with me.' Archie said as Rory grabbed at his coat and sweater.

'Hmm, Doctor Hopper, are you trying to take advantage of me.' She hummed and nestled closer to him. 'I honestly don't think I'd mind if you are, especially not if you do th-'

'Ok, I think it's time you were on your way!' Emma cried before Rory could say anymore, Archie's cheeks had gone bright red as Rory traced circles on his waistcoat looking up at him with a coy smirk on her face.

'Ye-yes, definitely,' Archie replied. He put a hand around her waist to steady her.

'Hmmm, you're such a gentlemen Archie.' Rory hummed and nestled into his side. She waved a hand coyly at the others shooting Ruby a wink and Emma held the door open as Archie guided her outside and into the car.

'We did try to stop her, Mary and me.' Emma said as Archie went to get into the other side of the car. 'But once Ruby got her on the shots there was no stopping her and then August came in.'

'Hmm, thanks Emma.' Archie replied, he bid her farewell and climbed into the driver's side to take them home, listening to Emma's return which was met by cheers.

* * *

''I think you should come and help me get undressed, Doctor Hopper.' Rory slurred fisting his waist coat and gave him a drunken kiss. She crossed her arms behind his neck and smirked biting her lip.

Archie tried to disentangle himself from her. 'Rory you are very drunk, I think we should get you to bed.' Archie chuckled a little.

'Only if you're going to join me.' She smirked at him and kissed him again losing her balance a little, he put a strong arm around her waist to steady her.

'Rory!' Archie protested as she kissed him again.

'You know you are extremely cute when you're flustered,' she jabbed a finger into his chest as his cheeks flushed. Archie was a gentlemen but Rory was seriously testing his resolve of not taking advantage of her as she smirked at him and came closer to his lips again, 'Doctor Hopper.'

That time Archie gave into the kiss because he couldn't resist and then realised what he was doing and stopped her. He managed to get her upstairs and into bed where she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

Rory jerked awake in the morning after she'd been dreaming. Her head was pounding but she was more interested in trying to claw back the remnants of that dream.

'Are you ok?' Archie asked, noticing the look of confusion and concentration on her face as he brought her a coffee. Which she'd never been more grateful for.

'I was dreaming, crickets and ladybugs I think, I don't know.' She said furrowing her brow struggling to remember. Then she remembered the night before. 'Sorry.' She smiled sheepishly at him.

* * *

_**A/N: I know it's more fluff for now but it's because something big is coming up  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement)  
**_


	19. 19: RW: When You Hear My Heart Stop

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations._**

* * *

'Rory?' Mary Margaret said. Rory was sat at Mary's desk staring out the window a little absent minded.

'Oh hey, I wondered if you wanted lunch.' Rory replied.

'You sure you want to have lunch with a scarlet woman?' Mary asked her, no one else wanted to have dinner with her after what had happened with David and Katherine.

'Ok, what you did was wrong and I mean I can see both sides to it but hey, it's none of my business. You're still my friend.' Rory replied, Mary smiled it was nice to know someone didn't hate her for what had happened. 'Just don't try anything with Archie. Then we would have a problem.' Rory joked.

Mary Margaret screwed her face up in disgust. Archie was far from being her type if she even had a type. Archie was too nice, and whilst he was her friend she didn't think she'd ever find him attractive.

'We can go to Granny's or I've brought in some things with me.' Rory smiled and pulled a box out.

'Then eating in it is.' Mary smiled at her.

'So how many volunteers do you have?' Rory asked her, she knew Mary had been trying to round up volunteers to help sell candles for miners day, Rory wasn't helping she had plans with Archie. She always had plans with Archie though. Archie and Rory had been together some weeks now. They weren't necessarily inseparable because Archie still had his lunches with Marco and Rory still had fun with other residents but they were always seen together. Many of the residents thought it was nice to see two people so happy with each other for once.

'Zero.' Mary replied and grimaced. Rory handed her a sandwich as she sat down and Mary smiled at her. Working at the school was much better than working at the store all the time. She really enjoyed being a teaching assistant, more than she thought she would. Mostly she just read the kids stories from time to time or helped out with the painting and arts, she never really taught anything but it was still fun. They ate in silence for a moment before Rory spoke again.

'Do you think dreams actually mean anything?' She wondered out loud.

'Oh, well, erm I don't know. Why do you ask?' Mary replied.

'I've been having some really weird dreams lately.' Rory said. Mary tilted her head at her in curiosity. 'I mean really weird, half of them I don't remember I just know that they're odd, a few of them have something to do with ladybugs and crickets. Then the other day, I dreamt I was at a waterfall with Archie but I was crying and he was crying.' Rory babbled and Mary looked at her for a moment.

'Oh god, it's so weird isn't it.' Rory grimaced.

'I heard that weird dreams happen, when you eat certain foods before bed.' Mary offered.

'Not possible, well not really, I don't normally eat that late.' Rory replied shaking her head.

'You couldn't be… well I mean, sometimes, some of the moms…' Mary trailed off and Rory watched her curiously.

'What?' She asked not entirely understanding what she was getting at.

'Well, is there any chance, you know, you could be.' Mary paused. 'Is there any chance you could be pregnant.' Rory's eyes went wide and she just stared at her for a moment.

'No, I mean, no, no!' Rory replied.

'Really not even the smallest possibility.' Mary asked shooting her a small smile.

'No! Well I mean, of course there's a possibility but I mean, no, no it's not that.' Rory replied flustered. Mary simply nodded her head at her and took another bite out of her sandwich.

'Have you put on any weight?' She asked raising her eyebrows.

'No, well not much, I mean it fluctuates sometimes anyway b-' Rory paused for a moment. 'No, it's not that ok.' She replied. The more Rory tried not to think about it all day the more she did think about it. The more it played on her mind, they weren't ready for that. She wasn't ready for that, not yet. Even if Archie would make an amazing father and Pongo would be wonderful with a child.

She went out during the day and bought a test vowing to do it when she got back to Archie's and he was busy. Archie was waiting for her though, dinner and a huge bouquet of red roses on the table. As grateful as she was Rory couldn't help feeling a little agitated around him all night. She didn't want to tell him. She wanted to find out first, to know.

Eventually when Archie was asleep she managed to get up and nip into the bathroom, it seemed like it took hours rather than minutes for the little lines on the stick to appear and when they did she found out she wasn't pregnant. Mary Margaret had been wrong and while most of her was happy a small part of her was quite disappointed. She binned the test and the box in the pharmaceutical bag and then went back to bed mind set to rest. That night she dreamt a little more vividly, Archie saving her from some thugs, Archie helping her, walking with her through the forest but soon she was being jolted awake and crying out for him and not entirely sure why, fear seeming to course through her veins, fear that he might have left her. Each time he'd hold her, kiss the top of her head and wrap his arms around her waist ever ready to reassure her that he was there.

* * *

Miner's day came and Archie was meeting Rory after she finished a shift at the shop with Rose. He was just getting ready adjusting his tie in the mirror when he noticed the paper bag in the bathroom bin, he thought nothing at first until '-ancy test' on the box inside caught his attention. His breath caught in throat as he looked down at it. It couldn't be Rory's could it? Who else's would it be then?

He breathed at first, finished his tie and left the bathroom, as he hit the bedroom though he looked at Rory's bathrobe hanging off the door and curiosity over took his senses. He strode back in hesitated, turned around several times and then simply reached into the bin and opened the bag. The discarded test and box cast inside and Archie's heart gave a small jolt when he saw it was exactly what he'd been expecting. A pregnancy test.

He sat back for a moment before he actually looked and took a deep breath. His heart was hammering in his chest. What if she was, what would they do, she'd have to move in here of course. Did Archie even want children? He'd never thought about it before, he'd never really wanted them, but with Rory. With Rory he could definitely do it, _they_ could do it.

He was getting ahead of himself though, with shaky hands he pulled the white stick out of the bag and then the box, two small lines that's all it was, two small lines that determined whether he would be a parent or not. Archie breathed deeply again before he looked down. He found he checked and double checked the lines against the box, negative, no baby.

Archie frowned a little his own disappointment surprising him. He sighed and put the box and contents back into the bin then returned to the bedroom. He looked around Rory had bits and pieces littered around but it was nothing permanent and he found he missed her when he couldn't wrap his arms around her at night. Even when she was having nightmares and wriggling around. With this in mind Archie made a decision, a question he was going to ask Rory. An important question which he hoped she'd say yes to because he didn't care if others might say they were moving too fast, it felt so right. He wanted her here with him. He wanted to have a home and a family with her. He wanted Pongo chasing around his child because he would, Pongo would be fantastic with children.

He got ready, and left with Pongo, excitement about the question he was about to ask overriding the disappointment he had felt.

* * *

'Well that's one way to sell candles.' Rory said as the power cut hit and the street went pitch black. She felt Archie squeeze her hand gently in the dark and turned to face him.

'Wait here, I'll go and get us one.' He said kissing the top of her head and handing her Pongo's leash, he managed to sneak around the side of the stall and get Mary to slip him a large candle so he didn't have to que, he was back to Rory in a moment with a flame burning bright in a moment.

'Hmm how romantic.' Rory let out a small laugh. She handed the leash back to Archie and took the candle off him. 'Thank you.' Rory smiled and leant up to give him a kiss holding the candle out from them. Archie slipped a hand around her waist and pulled her close, excitement and nerves dancing around inside his brain.

'I have something to ask you?' He said when he finally let her go.

'Should I be worried?' she chuckled watching him, his arm still around her waist.

'N-No, I just, Rory, I need to ask you, well.' He scratched the back of his head and then suddenly everything went wrong. Archie wasn't sure quite how it happened Rory suddenly thrust the candle at him, which, he dropped and she was running towards the road shouting at some kids who were almost simple blurs in the darkness.

Then there was the screech of tires, and it wasn't a child who hit the bonnet of the car but Rory and he looked on in shock as she hit the pavement hard. He was still for a moment vaguely aware of Pongo tugging at the lead. Then he started to move and the worst was yet to come.

She stood up and she looked at him, an odd look like she was seeing him for the first or perhaps the last time and then she just collapsed. It was almost in slow motion. Archie dropped Pongo's lead and he just managed to catch her as she fell, as she collapsed.

He was vaguely aware of the child screaming of other people screaming of Pongo whining softly next to him. He was vaguely aware of someone shaking his shoulder gently, but he wasn't going to let her go. His hand was on her face trying to wake her up and there was blood on her head and it was on his hands. He couldn't speak, he couldn't move as tears rolled off his face and he was half aware of Emma, half aware of Pongo nudging him, nudging at Rory as she lay almost lifeless in his arms.

* * *

_**A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! Or come at me with pitchforks and torches =)  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement)  
**_


	20. 20: RW: These Feelings Won't Go Away

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations._**

**_A/N: Wow, really sorry guys that this chapter took so long, I often do this when I'm writing. I have a clear idea of where I want to get to and then it sort of stoppers and I have to take a break. So sorry about this, I know this chapter isn't that long but they'll be another one up later on today =)  
_**

* * *

Archie was vaguely aware of everything, only vaguely aware though. The psychiatrist in him would later say it was shock, which it was. He didn't quite know how he'd got to the hospital or where Pongo was. It wasn't until the whine of the flat line on the machine started that he seemed to wake up. Suddenly he was hyper aware of his surroundings, of Emma stood on the other side of the glass and Henry, Henry shouldn't be here he was a child. Marco too, he was aware of Sunny crying on Faline's shoulder as she steeled herself and Rose crying unable to get any closer to the bed because of the Doctors.

She was flat lining, his Rory was lying there with no heartbeat as the rhythmic click and bump of another shock ticked over in his mind and suddenly, very suddenly she sat up. Eyes and mouth open in shock and surprise and then she fell back. The doctors stood in shock as everyone around was silent and the gentle bleep bleep bleep of a heartbeat being recorded on the machine kicked in.

Archie had never been so relieved, his knees threatened to give way and he collapsed against the wall hard. Breathing deeply he removed his glasses and wiped his eyes. It was a while before he even got close to Rory after Faline had gone home with Sunny, Rose however stayed refusing to leave with her sisters. Marco brought him cup after cup of coffee and even some food at one point but he couldn't eat. He was only just managing to breathe properly.

'Please wake up Rory, please.' Rose breathed kissing Rory's hands but she was lifeless, except it wasn't lifeless, no this was something else she looked so peaceful like she was simply sleeping. Archie's mind was thrown to what Henry said and as of this moment he could half believe she was Sleeping Beauty because that's how she looked.

'Mary and Emma have taken Pongo in Arch.' Marco said patting him on the shoulder, not that it really registered.

Two days Archie sat in the same chair, he needed to change, he needed to shower, he needed to eat but he couldn't. He refused to leave her side because he was scared if he did something might happen, he wasn't the only one though because Rose was there constantly too. Unlike Archie who just sat staring at her she flitted around, brushing her hair, moving flowers and cards around. She wiped her brow even though there was no need to and hovered over her. Archie had never felt more useless in his life.

'Faline, I need a word.' Dr Whale said glancing sideways at the dishevelled Archie and the worried Rose.

Faline nodded and stood up from her chair following him a short distance from the bed, Archie followed them as did Rose.

'Doctor Hopper while I appreciate your predicament, I need to speak to family members.' Dr Whale said and Archie's breath caught in his throat because he wondered what he was going to say.

'Don't be ridiculous.' Rose said to Dr Whale. 'Those two are as good as married.' She added giving Archie's hand a gentle squeeze. Faline scowled at her.

'Go on,' Faline gestured to Dr Whale to continue, 'you may as well, Hopper will probably understand more than us anyway.'

'Rory's condition has changed. We originally believed that her condition was a result of the impact with the car.' Archie winced at the memory, every time he closed his eyes he could see her stood up, eyes wide with shock and then she collapsed.

'And they're not?' Faline asked.

'Not entirely, Rory has several broken ribs and of course a head injury, we believed the head injury had induced the coma, her fixed state. However we've run several tests, done several scans as you know and well, there is no real reason for her to be in this, this unconscious state.' Dr Whale said.

'So what are you saying you don't know what's wrong with her?' Faline asked rather sharply.

'I'm saying we're not sure.' Dr Whale replied not meeting their eyes. Archie rubbed his face and wandered back over to her. He collapsed into the chair and put a hand on hers. Rory was a little cold.

'Will she wake up?' Faline asked.

'I can't say. I'm so sorry.' Dr Whale said.

* * *

Archie eventually went home on the third day. He got home and the house felt too big, the house felt empty, considering three days before he had been on the cusp of asking Rory to move in with him. Had sat in the bathroom and wondered for a moment whether he might be a father. There were bits and pieces she owned littered around and his dress shirt she'd worn was still discarded on the floor. He's picked it up and held it for a moment it smelt like her. It was a flowery, powdery smell. It smelt like the outdoors and he smiled and then found himself sobbing again. How was he supposed to cope? He knew he had to pull himself together but it felt like a hole had been blown into is chest. Sleep seemed to evade him until he collapsed from exhaustion and after a week of no change he decided to return to work. Hopefully he would be able to distract himself from Rory. Even Pongo couldn't cheer him up, the dog seemed to sense that something was wrong, he didn't even attempt to bring his toy over to Archie instead leaving him alone and just resting his head on his knee or sitting close to him.

* * *

'Rose, I brought you some lunch.' Marco said softly entering the hospital ward quietly and putting his hand on Rose's shoulder reassuringly. He didn't think he'd ever seen the woman look sicker than she did now. He was worried about her and worried about Archie because he knew that Faline put on a cold front and Sunny tried to make the best of the situations but neither of them had the same bond with Rory as Rose did. He was worried about Archie because he had thrown himself head first into his work, trying to help everyone else through their problems and ignoring his own, ignoring the pain he was feeling.

'Thank you.' Rose sniffed a little.

'Hey, hey.' Marco said pulling her into a hug, 'This is Rory eh? She'll wake up! She'll be ok.' He smiled patting her back soothingly. 'Why don't we eat outside? It's a nice day?' Marco asked trying to coax her away from the bed. She'd barely left it since Rory was admitted, only going home to change and she'd lost weight too. Granny had dropped by but it had made no different Rose refused to leave. When Marco went into the diner that morning Granny gave him a hamper with bits and pieces in it. She half ordered him to go to the hospital and see Rose. She was hoping that Marco might be able to coax her out into the gardens.

'Please?' Marco asked her again. That time Rose nodded and followed him, she was silent for a while until they got out into the sunshine where she seemed to perk up.

'I was so happy for her when she found Archie, even before they were dating. He changed her in the best possible way.' She sighed. Marco smiled at her and unpacked some of the food.

'Did Granny give you this by any chance?' She chuckled.

'She's worried about you, we're worried about you, and Arch.' He said putting a hand over hers and squeezing it gently.

'Psh, nothing to worry about. Strong as an ox me.' Rose replied brushing his concern off.

'Rose, I think you should go home and get some real rest.' Marco suggested and Rose ignored him changing the subject.

'Don't be ridiculous. Is that handsome young chap still in town then? The one Ruby was so enamoured by?' She chuckled.

'August, yes. He's a good boy actually, helping me out at the shop.' Marco replied.

Rose tried to be chatty, tried to be nice but she was itching to get back upstairs to Rory, just as Archie had been she was scared something would happen while she wasn't there. Unlike Archie she didn't have a busy job to distract her from what was going on. Marco tried his best to offer some distraction but to no avail. He could tell that she was itching to go back inside, especially for the last half of lunch because she kept glancing back at the hospital.

Marco understood though, he really did because Rose treated Rory like she was her own, even though she wasn't and whilst he found it incredibly sweet it also made him sad. It made a longing appear in his chest because he didn't have anyone who even came close to being a child and yet something inside him always longed for it. It was an odd sensation that he'd never shared with anyone because whilst his brain constantly told him he wanted a child, his heart sometimes said _no to find your child_. It confused him but he'd never broached the subject with Archie because quite frankly he didn't want to know the answers to those questions.

'Thank you for lunch Marco.' Rose said giving him a gentle hug before turning back to Rory.

'It was my pleasure.' Marco replied and kissed her cheek softly, he hovered for a moment picking up the basket he'd set down for a moment. He said his goodbyes and left quietly not feeling any better than when he had entered. Marco was still worried about Rose and Rose still refused to leave Rory's side and now he had to report back to Granny that he had half failed in his mission.

* * *

_**A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! Or come at me with pitchforks and torches =)  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement)  
**_


	21. 21: FW: Wake Me Up When September Ends

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations._**

* * *

'I heard the king no longer trusts the fairies. Cast them out.' Jiminy was flitting from tree to tree enjoying a little time to himself when he heard the voices echoing in the woods.

'Well why would he? The king trusted those fairies with his daughter and they ruined her.' Another man replied. Jiminy wasn't paying them much attention he was too busy investigating the trees. Being a Cricket offered him so much more freedom then he had ever thought possible. His heart still ached every day but he was sure, sure he had done the right thing in letting Aurora go.

'I heard the King told them he'd rather her married a common man than be in that slumber.' The other man replied, suddenly Jiminy became interested something about the conversation had caught his ear.

'You don't believe all that crap about true loves kiss do you?' A third man suddenly joined in the conversation.

'I don't know. Might go down there and try and break the spell meself though. Pretty little thing she was, still is, did you ever see her? Light brown hair and ample bosom' The man let out a chuckle loudly, 'just enough all round if you know what I mean. It's no wonder some conman wanted to get the grab of her first.' The second man laughed and Jiminy didn't like the crude way he was talking but he was intrigued now and his mind was thrown back to Aurora, because who else would he think of when someone was talking of a princess with light brown hair. A princess who had fallen in love with a conman? Surely not? No the man had said common man, _common_. Jiminy thought to himself for a moment.

Jiminy looked at his tiny watch, he was due at the meeting about Snow's safe exit in an hour or so, he had time, time to visit this sleeping princess.

Jiminy had spent his whole life as a cricket trying to bury his feelings about Aurora, trying to ignore them or forget them but she still woke him in his dreams from time to time. The brief moment they had shared had been brief but lasting and Jiminy knew he would never love another, not in that way.

Jiminy had spent his whole life trying not to remember her face. The way she curled up next to him or the feel of her hand on his cheek. He had been a cricket so long now. He had helped so many people, surely now she would be an old woman, surely now she would be married with children. Curiosity was getting the better of him and he listened to the men talking a little while longer. She was in the castle, the one whose walls were high with ivy, where time seemed to have come to a standstill and it was rumoured that a spell had been put upon the place until the princess woke up.

Jiminy flew there, it didn't take him as long as he had thought it would. He flew up the castle walls and landed on a window ledge, the window was open a fraction and a four poster bed was made up with huge red curtains that had been pulled open. Part of him was fearful of what he might see as one woman sat by the bedside hunched over reading from a dusty book.

Jiminy flew in quietly, his tiny heart fluttering rapidly inside his chest as he made his way over to the bed. First thing he saw was that light dusty brown hair, the same dusty brown hair he'd know so many years before. He flew a little closer and his heart stopped as he saw her. He'd forgotten how beautiful she was, how much he loved every inch of her and she hadn't aged a day. Someone had dressed her in a blue dress. A small woman with greying hair sat beside Aurora. Aurora's arms were crossed across her chest, she looked peaceful and Jiminy remembered what the others had said. Jiminy remembered the images the blue fairy had shown him because he had never forgotten them.

'The maid ran to him arms outstretched because she never wanted to be part-' the woman choked off part way through. 'Oh Aurora, I told them, I did.' She sobbed a little and Jiminy had the feeling she'd done that a lot.

'I should have forced them to see, I should have fought them harder. I'm so sorry.' She added. Flora suddenly went rigid in her seat she could sense another presence in the room and turned her head rapidly.

Jiminy felt his heart might beat out of his chest, surely Aurora couldn't be like this because of him, but if she was then he had been right. He had been correct in questioning the blue fairy. He had been right all those moons ago when he had suggested the possibility that the situation they were seeing could have been caused by her love for him.

'Get out of here, go on get,' Flora stood up and tried to shoo Jiminy away and he suddenly remembered she was there and remembered his cricket form.

'No, no you don't understand.' Jiminy said dodging the hands trying to shoo him out of the window. 'My name is Jiminy Cricket.' He said quickly trying to calm the woman before him.

'What did you say your name was?' Flora stopped suddenly in her tracks.

'Jiminy Cricket,' Jiminy repeated straightening himself and landing on the board at the foot of the bed.

'Jiminy?' Flora repeated and tilted her head, it couldn't be. It just couldn't be. It couldn't be the same Jiminy whose disappearance had put Aurora into this state. 'Not her Jiminy?'

Jiminy's heart gave a flutter when she referred to him like that. Jiminy looked over Aurora again and as happy as he was too see her, a sadness passed over him.

'I was, I used to be, still am. What happened to her?' Jiminy asked. Flora sat herself back down in a chair that looked worn and like it was never vacated for long. Jiminy rested himself at the head of the bed his eyes drifting to Aurora and looking up at Flora every once in a while. Flora took a moment before she began telling the story.

'After you left she wouldn't give up. Insisted that you would come back, that she would find you. Then we brought her to the kingdom, she didn't want to marry the prince and one night after dinner she ran off, Rumplstiltskin found her before we could. She requested she fall to sleep until she awoke in the arms of her love, _'And from this slumber you shall wake, when true loves kiss the spell shall break.' _ Perhaps now you're here?' Flora looked at him for a moment, hopeful, than her eyes moved over her cricket form. 'What happened to you?'

Jiminy's breath caught in his throat _'I don't ever want to wake up without your arms around me again Jiminy.' _ The words echoed in his mind and he felt a lump rise in his throat, she had ensured she would either never wake up at all or only wake up with him. She had trusted he hadn't left her, that he hadn't simply abandoned her and she had believed that one day he would find her or at very least come looking for her.

Love transcended all times and spaces, bodies, beings, love wasn't stopped or slowed by death or even by sleep. Jiminy looked at her curiously, perhaps if he broke the curse he might himself become human again.

'I, well I did something terrible which couldn't be reversed. My form is the result of the magic trying to help, the blue fairy changed me, but maybe I can help.' His wings opened and he fluttered down next to Aurora and kissed her cheek lightly he waited with bated breath but nothing happened and he let out a small sigh. Flora scowled at the mention of the Blue Fairy.

'The lips.' Flora replied. Jiminy manoeuvred himself and hovered over Aurora's face. Flora took a breath in and waited, waited for Aurora to stir, to wake up. To sing, and want to read her stories beneath the trees again. Jiminy took a deep breath in and felt his tiny fists clench in anticipation as he planted a tiny kiss on her gentle lips.

Flora stared and time seemed too slow as they waited, nothing happened though. Nothing and Jiminy watched her, he waited he tried again and again and whispered things to her but nothing had an effect.

'I don't understand.' He muttered but it came out as a half sob.

'You've changed Jiminy. The deal was with Rumple, remember?' Flora said sounding downcast. 'She was to sleep until she woke up in her Jiminy's arms.'

'I would have changed if I hadn't been a cricket.' Jiminy said frowning.

'Ah but she wanted to wake up in his arms.' Flora said because she knew how tricky Rumple could be, how wrong his bargains could go she had seen the effects countless times.

'I'll come back. I will come back when I'm human again. I'll make sure I become human again!' Jiminy said. His spirits were more than a little lifted despite Aurora's slumbering state he knew she would wait for him, he knew that the slumber was because of him and that he could break the spell. Now he had to find the blue fairy. She'd be at the meeting and now. Now he could get her to change him back, then he would go back and wake Aurora up. He also might just slip in an _I told you so _or two.

'I'll be back, I promise!' Jiminy called as he flew excitedly out of the window his heart filled with a joy that it hadn't felt in a long time.

Jiminy would never get chance to question the blue fairy though because everything seemed to happen at once and chaos exploded around them. Purple smoke was rolling over the hills and he was offering advice to little Pinocchio before Geppetto stuck him in the tree. No Jiminy never got chance to ask the Blue Fairy before his memories were stolen and he was sucked into a land without magic and luckily for him (although he didn't know it) returned to human form.

* * *

_**A/N: Promise i'll wake her up soon and it will be wonderful and fluffy and you'll love me again =)  
**_

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement)  
**_


	22. 22: RW:From This Slumber You Shall Wake

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations._**

* * *

_ "The show must go on!' Come rain, come shine, come snow, come sleet, the show MUST go on!_

_Cosmo - Singing In The Rain  
_

Archie rubbed his eyes for what felt like the millionth time and placed his drink down on the table. He shouldn't be drinking this early. He had patients, he didn't know who exactly but he knew he had them. Doctor Whale's words had simply continued to go around in his head for the past few days though. _The monitors aren't picking up any brain activity._ They must be wrong, he'd thought, they must be. Half of him was reacting like any normal person would, while the psychiatrist in him was dismantling it all and telling him exactly why he was feeling like that, why he was thinking this or that. Rationalising everything but right now Archie didn't want to be rational.

It felt like his heart had become nothing but a rotting hole in his chest that was festering and twisting inside him, it was black and gnarled and there was only one thing that could heal it. Pongo was almost like antibiotics struggling to get through or hitting the spot but not quite managing to have the right effect. The dog knew something was wrong as much as Archie did though. Archie could sense it all over him and he didn't know if it was the vibes he was giving off or the dog genuinely knew.

There was a knock at the door and someone entered, a small boy whom he had sat and talked with so many times on this sofa. Whom he had been trying to avoid whilst Rory was in the hospital until Regina had collared him. _You still work Doctor Hopper and you work for me, you will treat Henry as you normally do or you will lose your job._ She was only worried about Henry, about her relationship with him. He kept telling himself that but he couldn't help feeling a little angry towards the woman for seeming to lack any compassion for his situation. Archie knew he was going to snap at some point, the psychiatrist inside him continued to tell him so. He was like a rope being twisted and every time someone asked him if he was ok, asked if Rory was ok it twisted a little more. Every time they gave him that pitying look.

'I know how you can save Rory!' Henry cried as he came through the door and he slammed the book down on the table. That godforsaken book which fed the boys imagination. Which was something to be admired. Usually, it was, or could at least be considered quite the talent but not now. Not now. Now it was a stupid book and Archie knew what was coming. Which was the reason why he'd been trying to avoid Henry. Archie took a deep breath and let out a sigh.

'Look!' Henry cried opening the book. 'You know how Sleeping Beauty gets woken up! You need to kiss her Archie! You need to kiss her.' Henry said excitedly.

'How do you know I haven't already?' Archie breathed asking him because he knew he had to keep calm, even if he could feel those threads beginning to snap inside him.

'Because she would have woken up by now.' Henry said and he was so sure of himself and a part of Archie wanted to believe him so badly but the logical half of him wouldn't allow it.

'Henry, Rory is in a fixed state, she has no brain activity.' Archie said the words catching in his throat as he said them. The conversation between Rose and Dr Whale echoing in his mind, _but she can come back from this? _Rose had asked the Dr and Archie had known the answer before it left his lips._ 'It would take a miracle, million to one but we'll keep her on the systems for now Dr Whale had replied._ She wasn't brain dead though, because there were blips, there were movements and yet Whale said that these could be flukes in the machine. Yet they were still there, every once in a while the monitor would spike. Dr Whale had done all the tests though and gotten nothing, no shiver from the inner ear test, no reaction to the gag test.

'No, she's there! You just have to wake her up! Archie you have to listen to me.' Henry pleaded a little and Archie sighed because part of him wanted it to be true so badly, part of him wanted to be the reason she woke up.

'Henry, no, I know you're trying to rationalise this in some way but Rory is not Sleeping Beauty. She is Rory.' Archie said a little more firmly that time and then Emma arrived out of breath and sighing giving Archie that pitying look, another twang and he was two strings away from snapping.

'How do you explain it then! How do you explain that you found her, that before you became friends she didn't sleep and she was upset all the time and then you made her happy? She's Aurora and you're Jiminy and you were suppose-'

'NO!' Archie bellowed, 'No! I am not Jiminy bloody Cricket Henry and you need to wake up and realise that, you need to take this delusion out of your head because it's not good for you! You need to wake up and realise that Rory is dying or dead and nothing is going to wake her up. Especially not a stupid little book of fairy tales!' Archie cried and he was just as shocked as Henry and Emma were. He'd snapped, he hadn't meant to. He was trying to hold everything together and he couldn't cope with the two different voices in his head and the logical part of him was kicking back and kicking back hard. Archie faltered for a moment, he stared at them and then picked up Henry's book and ushered him out of the door without a word.

'I'm sure he didn't mean it kid but you can't just go rushing in there.' Emma tried to explain to Henry as they made their way down the stairs.

'I know, he just doesn't believe. He will do though.' Henry smiled and Emma gave him a glance furrowing her brow, she was happy he hadn't taken it to heart but she didn't like the fact he was still intent on making Archie see.

* * *

Things seemed to go from bad to worse when Archie got to the hospital and Faline was deep in discussion with Doctor Whale, Rose was pleading and making incoherent babbling noises and when she spotted Archie she ran over to him.

'Archie, you have to save her, machines, off. She'll, through.' Was all he could make out through the sobbing sounds Rose was making.

'What's going on?' He asked seriously, letting go of Rose whose back he had been petting soothingly.

'There's been nothing for three weeks now Doctor Hopper.' Faline said formally and she didn't have to finish the sentence because he knew what was coming.

'No.' He breathed and looked over at Rory protectively. 'No, you can't.'

'Doctor Hopper I understand this must be hard for you bu-' Faline began.

'Do you not have a heart at all? Why are you so ready to give up on her?' Archie snapped again and he watched the shock flit across Faline's face for a moment. Archie knew he was wrong, knew he was in the wrong because it must be hurting her too.

'Someone has to make the hard decisions Doctor Hopper.' Faline said stealing herself against her sister glare and the look of fury on Archie's face.

'What about the activity, the spikes.' Archie asked.

'Flukes, in the machines and we can't keep resting our hopes on flukes. We must accept the inevitable.' Faline replied coldly.

It took all Archie's strength not to fly across the room and strangle her. Rory wasn't hers to discard anymore, he had a say, surely and Rose was clearly objecting too. Archie didn't have a say though, not really. He had no legal right to Rory at all.

'Doctor Hopper, we are Rory's legal guardians and therefore her next of kin. We have agre-' Faline began.

'No we haven't!' Rose said and it was the first time Archie had ever seen the woman stand up to her sister. It was the first time he'd seen Rose angry and she looked ferocious like a lioness protecting her cubs. 'And until I agree you can't do anything.' Rose said.

'Rose, you're being irrational and wasting the hospitals resources.' Faline said and it was the coldest she had sounded in all the time Archie had known her. 'As for you, Doctor Hopper, I'm sure you'll get over it.'

Archie scoffed loudly, the logical part of him and the psychiatrist part of him were analysing all Faline's actions and could see she was being defensive. They could see and read that she was doing this to protect herself, being so cold. He knew she must be hurt as well but the part of him that didn't want to be rational was wanting to go and shake her and scream about how could she be so cold? He breathed and looked over Rory once and then turned back to Faline.

'I love her, she is all I have,' he paused for a moment, 'and I will do everything in my power to save her.' The irrational part of him won out and he heard Rose mutter something to Faline as he went and sat back down next to Rory, she was still cold beneath his touch but he didn't care because all that mattered was she was still there.

* * *

Archie refused to leave the hospital and instead it was Rose who had to go and feed Pongo and ask Marco to look after him for a while. Archie had been sat there the rest of the day, cancelling all his appointments and refusing tea and coffee.

He mulled over the day in his mind, the logical part of him had been subdued and now the completely illogical part of him was praying to every god and wishing for a miracle, promising things he knew he shouldn't to make her wake up.

Then after several hours, when most of the nurses had gone home and the night staff had begun their shifts, things kept finding their way into Archie's mind. He mulled over the Sleeping Beauty story in his mind and there was a tiny part of him that wondered for a moment if Henry had a point. Archie shook his head, he was being ridiculous. _Perhaps it's worth a try._ A part of him asked. _Fine but nothing will come of it._ Another part replied.

Archie looked at Rory for a moment and frowned. He stood up and looked over her for a moment. He shifted the breathing equipment, which made a racket so he turned the monitor volume down to almost silent and nodded to the sister who had come over. He was being incredibly foolish but there was nothing else he could try.

Archie leant in and kissed her hard, the monitor jumped but he didn't see it, he was too busy and there were tears rolling off his face as he pushed the hair out of hers.

'Please Rory, please come back to me, please, I love you please.' He choked and kissed her again but there was no response. Archie didn't know what possessed him to say the next thing he did, but he said it anyway. 'Please wake up my Sleeping Beauty, I love you, I need you.' He pleaded with her and then kissed her again but there was nothing.

Archie replaced the equipment and turned the volume on the monitor back up and he stared at her for a whole five minutes and then he proceeded to scold himself. He watched her a moment longer and then let the awful truth hit him. Smack him in the face and felt that hole in his chest get a little bigger. He tilted his head and let the tears fall off his cheeks before nodding to some invisible character and standing up. It was like he was accepting the news from death himself and he stood up, feet feeling like lead and made his way towards the door.

Archie was just at the admissions desk when suddenly there was a flurry of attention, nurses and the night time Doctor running towards someone. Curiosity got the better off him and he turned. It was Rory, coughing and spluttering but she was moving and her eyes were open. He knew he shouldn't let things get the better of him but he couldn't help letting joy and ecstasy spread through his body, he couldn't help feeling that hole in his chest close up slowly. His thoughts momentarily moved to what Henry had said and pondered them for a moment before dismissing them. Rory was awake, maybe his praying had paid off. He thanked every god, every bit of magic. Every piece of the supernatural he could think of because by some miracle or another she was awake, she'd come back to him.

* * *

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement)  
**_


	23. 23: The End or perhaps the Beginning?

**_A/N: Obviously I don't own OAUT's creations._**

* * *

'I think you should come home with me.' Archie said watching Rory as he helped her pack her case from the hospital. She was almost healed, still a slight bruising on her ribs and her wrist would need a few more days but other than that she was fine and Archie had never been happier to be able to hold her.

'Doctor Hopper may I remind you I'm an injured woman.' Rory said teasingly. Archie looked at her furrowing his brow for a moment before letting it ease into a smile.

'No I mean I think you should come home with me, permanently.' He said. It wasn't the romantic gesture he'd been hoping for but that moment had been stolen by the car, when the candle hit the floor. Archie shuddered, he hated the way that image crept into his mind. He looked at her and resisted the urge to run around the side of the bed and just hold her to him.

'Archie are you serious?' She asked him. She was caught off guard if she was honest. She wanted to of course she did the thought of being able to wake up next to Archie every single day was not just pleasing but it made her heart flutter. The thought of being able to call his house home, his bed would become their bed. Yet at the same time there was a part of her that didn't want to leave her aunts, to leave Rose in particular. She felt like she was being ungrateful.

'Of course I'm being serious.' Archie said moving around the side of the hospital bed to face her. 'I was going to ask you before, well befor-' he couldn't bring himself to say it and looked down at the hospital bed, brow furrowing and his thumb tracing circles around his finger softly.

'Archie what is it?' Rory asked slipping her hands around his waist and looking up at him. She kissed him gently and Archie put his forehead against hers.

'I nearly lost you.' It came out broken like he couldn't quite bring himself to say it.

'Hey.' Rory said brushing her thumb over his cheek. 'I'm still here.' She smiled at him and then kissed him a little hard. 'Yes.' She said suddenly and Archie pulled away looking at her.

'Yes, I will come home with you Archie, permanently.' She added. A grin spread across his face and she didn't think she'd ever seen him look happier. He pulled her close and Rory pulled him into a deep kiss clutching at the edges of his vest. 'Let's go home.' She said watching him a smirk playing on her face.

'I thought you were an injured woman?' Archie raised an eyebrow at her, heart rate increasing and his blood burning a little.

'Well, I suppose we should put your doctoring skills to the test at least once in a while.' Rory smirked kissing him again.

'I'm not that kind of doctor.' Archie mumbled into her lips. Rory pulled away from him and let out a giggle returning to packing her things. Archie frowned and realised his mistake. 'Sorry,' he shuffled awkwardly and blushed, the tips of his ears turning red. 'Killed the moment didn't I?'

Rory nodded at him and chuckled hissing as she tried to lift the suitcase off the bed, Archie shook his head and took it off her she wasn't supposed to be doing any heavy lifting. He scolded her lightly and then watched her for a moment glancing down at the hospital bed. A couple of days ago she'd been lay in that bed cold and unresponsive. He had to stop thinking about it, he had to stop torturing himself she was here now, in front of him and happy.

'Oh by the way you have a welcome home party to go to.' Archie said suddenly and Rory looked around at him confused cocking her head to the side. Rose had decided that for when Rory came home she wanted to throw a party, she had wanted her home and safe for what felt like a lot longer than two weeks and now she was out Rose wanted to shower her with affection.

'Why?' she asked, confused, why would anyone want to throw her a party.

'Rory you were in a coma for close to a month, Rose wanted to celebrate, she was more than a little happy to see you awake and alive.' Archie replied, 'Besides now it'll give us an excuse to tell everyone the news.' Archie smiled at her and Rory beamed back. She loved him and she couldn't wait to be waking up next to him every day.

'We'll go home first, drop your things off and then go back to your house. You'll have to act surprised though.' Archie said raising an eyebrow at her. Rory mocked a face of shock, part of her was dreading it though, she couldn't remember much about the accident and she didn't want to. She didn't really want to party either, she wanted to curl up on the sofa and just relax.

* * *

'Hello Doctor Hopper's office?' The clipped tone said down the end of the phone.

'Hi Wendy, could you patch me through?' Rory asked the woman at the other end of the phone.

'Hello?' Archie's voice came out a little subdued at the other end, it seemed the towns run of bad luck had taken young Henry hostage now. The boy lay in a coma in hospital, the doctors had no idea what had caused it and Emma was adamant someone (Regina) had poisoned him, meaning to poison her. The happiness Archie had felt the week before about having Rory back had been somewhat subdued after the news of Henry. He hadn't been to visit him yet but he knew Mary Margaret had. Archie cared about the boy and he was worried, of course he was worried.

'Are you ok?' Rory asked him, concern in her voice because she could imagine him sitting there in the office alone and worrying.

'Yes, yes fine.' Archie said trying to shrug off the feelings. Admittedly this was nowhere near as bad as when Rory had been in hospital, then he hadn't eaten or slept, which Rory had commented on several times.

_ 'I'm not a fan of washboard abs you know.' She had frowned at him one day a smirk playing on her lips._

_ 'I don't think I'm quite there yet.' Archie had chuckled in return. _

_'Good let's not get there.' Rory had smiled at him and kissed him deeply. 'I like something to cuddle.' She had giggled and all Archie's insides had tightened as she had fed him some chocolate off the kitchen side._

'Are we still on for dinner or is that when you want to visit Henry?' Rory asked him.

'No, no I'll go and see Henry tonight. I'll just lock up and I shall meet you outside soon.' Archie couldn't resist the smile as Rory said love you down the other end of the phone to him before hanging up. He knew it would take Rory less than ten minutes to get to the office so he packed up his things and got ready to leave. Umbrella in hand wallet and keys in his pockets and coat on he stepped out into the street and suddenly felt a warm wave wash over him. It was like someone was allowing warm water to pool over him and suddenly he remembered everything. Who he was, where he'd come from. The fact he'd been a cricket before the curse and Aurora. Aurora sleeping because he couldn't wake her but then intruding on these old memories were all those new ones. Ones from his life as Archie and a face, a face he knew so well whom he'd loved, whom he'd held.

Jiminy spotted Aurora at the same time she spotted him and their eyes met across the street and she was running towards him. Shock, confusion, recognition and happiness passing across her face and she was crying there were tears streaming down her face as he scooped her up into a hug holding her tight and spinning her around.

'Jiminy?' She breathed watching him a hand on his cheek as he moved some of the hair from her face his fingers leaving feather light trails across her skin. Jiminy nodded.

'But Rumple's spell.' She said and then her eyes went wide with recognition as she remembered the kiss in the hospital. Jiminy kissed Aurora hard lifting her up again and she squealed loudly.

'I love you, and I'm never going to let you go again.' Jiminy said putting her down slowly and that's when they both saw it. The huge purple cloud, a cloud Jiminy had seen before, the first time around and he wondered if this meant they would be returning to the Fairytale realm.

'I don't think we can out run it.' Aurora breathed as the cloud moved towards them fast. Jiminy fumbled with the keys in his pocket and his thoughts were thrown to Pongo his faithful dog alone in the house, they'd never reach him in time.

'Quick get inside.' He said pushing her into the building and pulling her close to him, he wrapped his arms around her protectively. 'I love you.' He whispered into the top of her head.

'I love you.' She whispered into his chest holding him as tight as she could before the purple smoke began to seep under the door and they had no escape as it began to creep down the stairs and through the walls and all they could do was hold each other close and pray that whatever came next they would still be together.

* * *

_**AS ALWAYS Thank you for all the lovely and very wonderful reviews so far they are very much appreciated and a HUGE encouragement)  
**_

_**This was the last chapter and I hope you enjoyed =) Thanks for all the lovely reviews again over time =) **_


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